Shattered Universe Titan AE Warmonger
by Specter06
Summary: The second part of Shattered Universe blasts off two weeks after the first part ended and the newly established Republic is threatened by a new sinister enemy. The warriors of a race from another universe which wages war on an unrivaled scale.
1. General Idea & Updates

**Update 1-12-2011**

Chapter 44. Just one more chapter everyone. It's almost done. I can hardly believe it myself.

**Update 13-11-2011**

Here's chapter 43. I'm writing whenever I can. Sorry for letting you guys down. But I won't give up on this story. I've come too far already to quit now.

**Update 16-10-2011**

I know, I know, I'm terrible keeper of promises when it comes to writing. I promised I wouldn't let this happen again; 4 weeks without any updates. Whenever I try to write something else comes up. It's annoying. Just three more chapters or so. Then it's finished. Maybe I'll take a real break after that, to keep the ideas coming for the grand final. Lots of stuff swirling around in my head, now I just need time to write them all down.

**Update 20-09-2011**

Chapter 41 posted. That last chapter was risky, I know but the rest of this story is not gonna be like that. I hope I can finish this story before my first holiday of the schoolyear so I can start working on a plot for this trilogy's conclusion in that one week. Yes, there is going to be one more part and I have a couple of ideas already. At the end of the third part I'm gonna have to say goodbye to my characters for good. That's gonna hurt. Ouch! :(

**Update 06-09-2011**

Chapter 40 is up. About 5 more chapters to go. It won't be long now. This one was a very tough one to write. I wasn't sure what to do but I had to make a decision. And I'm gonna have to make the same decision again in the final chapters. You know what I'm talking about.

**Update 28-08-2011**

Chapter 39 posted. I'm still working on rewriting chapters of the first story so that's eating up time too but I'm so close to finishing this story that this has priority now. I'll do my best.

**Update 15-08-2011**

Hehe, I bet no one expected an update that fast. I've cleaned up the updates page once again and I'll try to let the last chapters come at a steady pace. I'm gonna finish this!

**Update 07-08-2011**

I posted chapter 37. I think I'll still need about 6-8 chapters to wrap this up nicely. That means it'll have about roughly the same chapter length as the first story but the chapters have a longer average length. Maybe I'll rewrite some parts of this story too, cut out a few things. Thanks for staying with me for so long. ;)

**Shattered Universe© - Titan A.E. - Warmonger**

**Story written by: Specter06**

**Based upon:**

**Titan A.E.**

**Directed By:**

**Don Bluth & Gary Goldman**

**Produced By**

**David Kirschner**

**Gary Goldman & Don Bluth**

**Screenplay By:**

**Ben Edlund**

**John August**

**Joss Whedon**

**Story By:**

**Hans Bauer**

**Randall McCormick**

**Original Score Composed By:**

**Graeme Revell**

**Music Supervisor:**

**Glen Ballard**

**Starring The Voice Talents Of:**

**Matt Damon - Cale**

**Bill Pullman - Korso**

**John Leguizamo - Gune**

**Nathan Lane - Preed**

**Janeane Garofalo - Stith**

**Drew Barrymore - Akima**

**Ron Perlman - Professor Sam Tucker**

**Alex D. Linz - Young Cale**

**Tone-Löc - Tek**

**Jim Breuer - The Cook**

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own, any of the original Titan A.E. characters nor the Titan universe. Those are all the property of 20th Century Fox. The ideas of most of the other universes are also property of their original creators. This story is based on both real facts, from the Titan A.E. movie and novels and fan-based creations I once found lingering around on the internet. These fan-based facts like species, races and planets are **not** my property, belong to their original creators and were once used in fanfictions and roleplay back in 2000. I want to thank the people whoever they are for their contribution to the underdeveloped Titan A.E. universe. I have the deepest respect for their creations and I don't want to misuse them by claiming them as my own.

**Tribute:**

This story is not only a tribute to Titan A.E. and all of its fans but also to the entire science fiction genre, its fans and its creators.

**Special thanks:**

Special thanks to: Every fan of Titan A.E., every other SF fan or creator. Without them it wouldn't have been possible.

Andromeda: Gene Roddenberry

Firefly: Joss Whedon

Stargate Atlantis: Brad Wright & Robert C. Cooper

Stargate SG-1: Jonathan Glassner & Brad Wright

Star Trek: Gene Roddenberry

Star Wars: George Lucas

Supreme Commander: Chris Taylor

The list goes on… in eternity. If you have more suggestions…

**The story:**

The second part of Shattered Universe blasts off two weeks after the first part ended. Things are going well for the newly established Republic. More species have joined the alliance after they had seen what the cooperation did to the worlds that joined. It provided stability and eventually piece in the quadrant. But what they don't know is that a new sinister enemy from another universe has arrived through the distortions that are still open. They are outcasts, no longer able to associate with the rest of their society because of their transformation into warriors. Now free from the force that kept them under control, they only thing they can do is serving their only purpose, the reason of their creation… to fight and to kill.


	2. Story Database

**Story Database (Will receive regular updates as the story progresses. It doesn't mean that you have to read the entire story database before beginning on the story, just look up things you wanna know a little more about.)**

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Characters (does not include Akima, Cale, Gune, Korso, Preed and Stith (I suggest you watch the movie for them)):

**Alicia Shattan – **Skin color: Pink. Hair color: Blonde. Eye color: Deep green. Brian's girlfriend and one of Earth's survivors who made it to Solbrecht.

**Ayi'kutan – **Species: Mantrin/Sogowan. Skin color: Brown. Hair color: - Eye color: Brown-reddish. Chieftain of the Trunali tribe and father of Kenagi.

**Ayko – **Species: Akrennian. Skin color: Dark brown. Hair color: - Eye color: Orange. Former Captain of the Akrennian battlecruiser _Tsun'rhaa_. She's one tough piece of Akrennian female and lucky for him, Preed's girlfriend.

**Blake Ibanez – **Skin color: Brown-tinted. Hair color: Black. Eye color: Blue. Father of Robert Ibanez whose ship, the _Endeavour_ was brutally attacked and destroyed by Drej stingers while conducting research.

**Brian Kenneth – **Skin color: Pink. Hair color: Blond. Eye color: Blue. Commander Brian Kenneth is Joseph Korso's First Officer and is always ready to assist his Captain when necessary.

**Christopher Laroc – **Skin color: Brown-tinted. Hair color: Brown. Eye color: Brown. Supreme Chancellor of Republica Planitia. If he can't keep the Republic together, no one can.

**Chrysta Winter – **Skin color: Pink. Hair color: Blonde. Eye color: Deep green. Jason's Number One and First Officer aboard the Federation starship USS _Highlander_.

**Derek Reese – **Skin color: Pink. Hair color: Blond. Eye color: green. Tactical officer aboard the RSS _Valkyrie_ with the rank of Lieutenant.

**Dreya – **Species: Akrennian. Skin color: Brown. Hair color: - Eye color: Yellow. Dreya is Ayko's mother and a friendly woman who really cares about her daughter. She's a little afraid for her husband because of his violent nature.

**Fri´kaja – **Species: Mantrin/Sogowan. Skin color: Brown. Hair color: - Eye color: Copper. Shaman and healer of the Trunali tribe.

**Galen – **Species: Mantrin/Soneth. Skin color: Chestnut with traces of vague red. Black stripes on his back tracing all the way to his belly. Eye color: Orange. A brilliant Mantrin scientist who had come up with a way to enhance his species by giving them amazing mental abilities in an attempt to create the ultimate warrior. Now he assumed to role of father of eight gifted children.

**Gra'kath – **Species: Gvort. Skin color: Green. Hair color: - Eye color: yellow. Filthy slave trader like most Gvort without the slightest respect for life. He is the foreman of the slave ship Soros.

**Guadda – **Species: Gvort. Skin color: Green. Hair color: - Eye color: yellow-greenish. Slave trader who had captured Akima before when she was jettisoned from the Drej mothership. He's one of Gra'kath's accomplices.

**Iji – **Species: Vusstran. Skin color: Several shades of green and brown in irregular patches. Hair color: - Eye color: Yellow. Tek's adopted daughter is actually Cale's alien stepsister. They grew up together as the Vusstran scientist took both of them under his wing and cared for them like they were his own children.

**Ishaq Bourain – **Skin color: Olive. Hair color: Curly black. Eye color: Striking green.

**Iuyana – **Species: Denali. Skin color: Blue. Hair color: - Eye color: Purple. First Officer of Captain Robert Ibanez aboard the RSS _Nepenthe_.

**Jason Pierce** **– **Skin color: Pink. Hair color: Brown. Eye color: Brown. A young but nonetheless experienced Federation Captain from another universe. In command of the starship _Highlander_ since stardate 103774.2. Jason returned to the Titan universe because of his accomplishments and his relationship with the people there.

**Jetréycka – **Species: Mantrin/Sogowan. Skin color: Brown. Hair color: - Eye color: Copper. Mantrinesse of the Trunali tribe.

**Jick'chii – **Species: Krach'thaa (animal). Skin color: Black. Hair color: - Eye color: Yellow. Ayko's Krach'thaa, a dog-sized dragon-like animal native to Akrennia certain Akrennians keep as pets. Their bite is toxic and lethal to those who don't get help soon.

**Jy'sen – **Species: Mantrin/Sogowan. Skin color: Brown. Hair color: - Eye color: Copper. Mantrin ambassador, representing the will of his Emperor in the Republic.

**Kenagi – **Species: Mantrin/Sogowan. Skin color: Brown. Hair color: - Eye color: Copper. Hunter and son of the Chieftain of the Trunali tribe.

**Kero – **Species: Mantrin/Goureg. Skin color: Slate-colored. Hair color: - Eye color: Blue. Prince Kero is the son of the Mantrin Emperor and Stith's mate. He's very sweet-natured for a Mantrin but just like all of them he turns fierce upon hearing the call of battle or when he or his loved ones are threatened.

**Kheitran – **Species: Akrennian. Skin color: Dark blue. Hair color: - Eye color: Bright green. Tactical officer aboard the Akrennian warship _N'gara_.

**Khiosa – **Species: Akrennian. Skin color: Dark gray. Hair color: - Eye color: Blue. Aggressive Akrennian who loves to fight. He's dangerous and wouldn't hesitate to kill.

**Kyriin – **Species: Indarian. Skin color: - Hair color: Red and white. (Entire body) With patches of brown on his paws and feet. Eye color: Brownish yellow. Chief science officer aboard the RSS _Nepenthe._

**Kirliya The Enlightened – **Species: Mantrin. Not really a person but the Mantrin goddess (although 'she' is actually genderless). They believe that Kirliya was the first Mantrin warrior and that she gave birth to their race.

**Michael Jericho – **Skin color: Pink. Hair color: Brown with traces of gray. Eye color: Blue-grayish. Commanding officer of the starship _Arcadia. _He was involved in several actions against the Machines.

**Mithras – **Species: Mantrin/Porlau. Skin color: Army green. Hair color: - Eye color: Bright yellow. General of the Imperial Elite Assault Force in command of all EAF operations. His guys are the toughest warriors in the known universe.

**Niy'tan – **Species: Mantrin/Sogowan. Skin color: Brown. Hair color: - Eye color: Copper. Brave soldier in the Imperial Army, ready to fight without hesitation to defend his city and his family.

**Oywelu – **Species: Mantrin/Sogowan. Skin color: Brown. Hair color: - Eye color: Amber. Ayi´kutan´s mate and mother of Kenagi.

**Rajah – **Species: Mantrin/Goureg. Skin color: Black. Hair color: - Eye color: Blue. Rajah is Kero's younger brother and is becoming the next Mantrin Emperor because Kero passed on the title of his father. Rajah sure has a temper but is really a good guy once you get to know him.

**Ranakh – **Species: Akrennian. Skin color: Grayish. Hair color: - Eye color: Yellow. A former classmate of Ayko. Not very bright though and a bit of a bully.

**Robert Ibanez – **Skin color: Brown-tinted. Hair color: Black. Eye color: Green. Captain of the Republican science and exploration vessel RSS _Nepenthe_.

**Rynta – **Species: Akrennian. Skin color: Dark brown. Hair color: - Eye color: Orange. Rynta is Ayko's father and an Admiral of the Akrennian Militia. He's a harsh man and he demands the same respect from his family as from the people who serve under him.

**Shiba - **Species: Mantrin/Sogowan. Skin color: Brown. Hair color: - Eye color: Golden-brown. Young Sogowan female and girlfriend of Kenagi.

**Sokarr – **Species: Akrennian. Skin color: Dark brown. Hair color: - Eye color: Orange. Ayko's brother and a bit of a pain in the ass sometimes. However he's okay once you get to know him.

**The'lah – **Species: Mantrin/Goureg. Skin color: Slate-colored. Hair color: - Eye color: Blue. Kero's mother and the wife of Emperor Zahn. She's sweet but strong-willed and spend time in the military before becoming the Emperor's wife.

**Trezka – **Species: Mantrin/Sogowan. Skin color: Brown. Hair color: - Eye color: Copper. Elite Mantrin warrior of the EAF. Trezka is one of Rajah's bunkmates back at the compound but is temporarily assigned to the _Valkyrie_ for a special mission.

**Treji – **Species: Mantrin/Sogowan. Skin color: Brown. Hair color: - Eye color: Copper. Elite Mantrin warrior whose mission is to hunt down Galen and his experiments no matter the cost.

**Ujkan – **Species: Akrennian. Skin color: Brown reddish. Hair color: - Eye color: Olive green. Servant at the house of Admiral Rynta.

**William Langley – **Skin color: Pink. Hair color: Gray. Eye color: Pale blue. High ranking officer and for a great deal responsible for the coordination of the Republican fleet.

**Yani Cho – **Skin color: Pink. Hair color: Black. Eye color: Dark brown. Operations officer aboard the RSS _Valkyrie_ with the rank of Ensign.

**Zahn – **Species: Mantrin/Goureg. Skin color: Slate-colored. Hair color: - Eye color: Blue. The Emperor is an incredibly large Mantrin and tends to be a little cranky sometimes when things don't turn out entirely the way he wants it.

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Special section: The gifted children.

**Eyza –** Species: Mantrin/Sonowan. Skin color: Brown with a few unusual brighter spots on her lighter belly and beak. Hair color: - Eye color: Copper. Eyza is a bit shy but very bright. She doesn't talk much but her telepathic abilities are stronger than those of the rest.

**Fran –** Species: Mantrin/Goureg. Skin color: Slate-colored. Hair color: - Eye color: Bright blue. Young Goureg boy who just loves to play and make fun. Fran is physically the youngest of the group although the difference is not that large.

**Jicko –** Species: Mantrin/Talocaan. Skin color: Dark brown. Hair color: - Eye color: Dark blue. Jicko's is Pynch's brother. Both are quite powerful and have a strong connection with each other increasing their strength when they work together.

**Pynch –** Species: Mantrin/Talocaan. Skin color: Black. Hair color: - Eye color: Indigo. Pynch is Jicko's brother. Both are quite powerful and have a strong connection with each other increasing their strength when they work together.

**Reyan –** Species: Mantrin/Sogowan. Skin color: Brown. Hair color: - Eye color: Copper. Reyan assumes a leadership role more often than the rest of the children. He tends to be a little cranky but he really cares for his brothers and sisters.

**Reylyn –** Species: Mantrin/Orketh. Skin color: Chestnut with black stripes on her back and hips. Hair color: - Eye color: Orange. Reylyn is mentally one of the younger children but that doesn't mean she is less powerful. Reylyn has the tendency to cry more often than the others.

**Shezu –** Species: Mantrin/Fjetahna/Sogowan cross. Skin color: Light brown. Hair color: Golden with silvery streaks. Eye color: Left: Green. Right: Blue. Shezu is the most powerful of the group of eight children but has a little trouble controlling and focusing her energy sometimes.

**Syndar –** Species: Mantrin/Sogowan. Skin color: Brown. Hair color: - Eye color: Copper. Young Sogowan boy who teases his sister because he thinks she's weaker than he is. He is shocked when she breaks his arm and unleashes her true power.

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Special section: The Seraphim.

**Asath-Yvanu – **Species: Seraphim. Skin color: Orange. Hair color: - Eye color: Orange. Member of the head of three. He is the most calm of the three since he developed the meditation technique to help them keep control over their violent emotions. He is trying to find a way to reestablish his connection to _The Way_.

**Eniiv-Ulhanow – **Species: Seraphim. Skin color: Green. Hair color: - Eye color: Yellowish. Seraphim Commander who fights a battle against Zekh-Asovash on a remote planet.

**Otho-Ivotha – **Species: Seraphim. Skin color: Sand-colored. Hair color: - Eye color: Golden. Member of the head of three. He wants to have his revenge as soon as possible and utterly destroy the ones responsible for the destruction of Seraphim II until there's nothing left. Otho-Ivotha is the one in control over the rogue Seraphim space forces.

**Zekh-Asovash – **Species: Seraphim. Skin color: Red-brownish. Hair color: - Eye color: Bright green. Member of the head of three. The one with the worst temper and with a little trouble following orders. Zekh Asovash is an experienced Commander himself and in control of ACU deployment and ground battles.

**Seraphim II – **Planet in another universe and the location of a former Seraphim colony. All the inhabitants have been killed by xenophobic human soldiers. At first it was thought that the Seraphim were extinct but the colony in fact turned out to be only a small outpost of outcasts. As a result of the destruction of the colony, the Seraphim started a war that nearly wiped out mankind in that universe.

_**The Way **_**– **Powerful empathic connection that binds all Seraphim and renders them completely incapable of taking a life. The warriors that volunteer to sever their connection to _The Way _transform into emotionless killing machines. They can no longer socialize with the rest of their society and become outcasts.

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Special section: People of the Coalition

**Keith Shattan - **Skin color: Pink. Hair color: Dark brown. Eye color: Green grayish. An experienced Commander of the Cybran legions, Keith Shattan has been in countless battles and always came out victorious thanks to his unmatched skill and cold personality. He is not the type of person you want to meet at the other side of the playground.

**Kendra Natal - **Skin color: Pink. Hair color: Silvery white. Eye color: Intense blue. Commander Kendra Natal had to learn everything the hard way. Her home is the Illuminate military and it has been that way since her parents were killed by the UEF weapon called _Black Sun_ when the world on which she was born was utterly destroyed while she was battling UEF forces on a remote planet near the outer rim. Some believe that the death of her family has affected her more than she wants to admit.

**Maxwell Lance - **Skin color: Pink. Hair color: Brown with traces of gray. Eye color: Steel-gray. Brigadier General Lance is a high ranking UEF military Commander and an experienced war veteran. Ready to lead the Coalition forces into battle against the Seraphim he will do anything in his power to stop them.

**Factions / Organizations:**

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Akrennian Military Alliance –

All the different worlds in colonies that together form the foundation of the Akrennian Empire are united in the Akrennian Military Alliance in times of war. Their main military force is the Akrennian Militia.

**Indarian Dynasty – **The territories, worlds and colonies belonging to the Indarians.

**Mantrin Imperial Guard – **The Mantrin military organization which controls all of their fleet operations in the quadrant. The Imperial High Command oversees their entire operations.

**Machine Dominion – **A race of intelligent machines from another universe let by a powerful artificial intelligence which is planning to wipe out all organic life and create an Empire of machine-life.

**Mizrate Armada** **–** The D'amaran defense force.

**Republica Planitia – **The newly found alliance of worlds founded on the third of February 3044. It started with ten different worlds and organizations. Akrennians, D'amarans, Denali, Humans, Indarians, Mantrins, Qu'utians, Solbrechtians, Vusstrans and the United Federation of Planets from the other universe.

**Starfleet – **The humanitarian and peacekeeping armada of spacecraft, that provides defense, research, diplomacy, and exploration to the United Federation of Planets in the other universe.

**United Federation of Planets – **The interplanetary federal republic of the other universe which encompasses more than 150 member planets and thousands of colonies spread across 8,000 lightyears. The Federation's military and exploratory agency is known as Starfleet.

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Special Section: Factions of the Supreme Commander universe.

**Aeon Illuminate – **The descendants of the human settlers one Seraphim who were taught about _The Way _by the aliens themselves.

**Colonial Defence Coalition – **Alliance formed by the three factions of Earth to counter the invading Seraphim forces. The Coalition still exists today but the alliance remains fragile.

**Cybran Nation – **Fighting for independence and the liberation of their enslaved symbiont brothers, the Cybran Nation uses any means necessary to achieve this goal.

**Seraphim War Order – **All Seraphim that have been turned into warriors are part of this special group of highly trained elite soldiers. The Seraphim would normally use War Leaders to keep the warriors calm and focused during battles. Therefore, the groups of rogue Seraphim warriors are not part of the Order and their actions are not supported by the homeworld.

**United Earth Federation (UEF) – **Risen from the remains of the old Earth Empire, the United Earth Federation seeks to unify the remains of the splintered Empire under one banner no matter the cost.

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Places:

**Akrennia – **A somewhat dry world located in a densely packed area of the Bellisan quadrant.

**Andali system – **The system where the new planet Earth is created. 78 light-years from Earth's original location.

**Chereon – **City build on the plains of Sogowa Prime. It has one small active military base.

**De'rahn – **Large city on Akrennia where Ayko and her family live.

**Dimra – **Smaller moon orbiting Sogowa Prime.

**Fauldro – **A rather small planet, home to the Fauldrans and to Fauldro Flight Academy: The best flight school in the spiral arm.

**Gvort homeworld – **Small swamp-like planet with an unpronounceable name. Large slave markets can be found in every city.

**Huk'lath V – **A cold and icy world without any real seasons that is home to the Huk'la, a thick-furred mole-like species. The Huk'lath system is a system positioned on the edge of Akrennian-held territory and besides Huk'lath there's not much worth to mention. Huk'lath V is a center of criminal activity and has a very fine black market where even the Akrennian Empire itself gets the good stuff.

**Iridana nebula – **Nebula used as a hiding place by the unknown enemy force. A stable trans-dimensional distortion was used to bring in their forces.

**Mantra – **Once a beautiful place to live. Now a deserted barren rock swept by violent thunderstorms and volcanic activity.

**New Marrakech – **Drifter colony in the Solbrecht system where Akima lived with her friend Ishaq and his father Mohammed Bourain.

**Lheolia II – **One of the most beautiful worlds on the galaxy. A place where one could settle down completely or just have fun.

**New Earth (Or just Earth) –** The new human homeworld created using Sam Tuckers Titan technology. Almost identical to the original except it has no moon and there are no real seasons.

**P'lochda – **Planet in Akrennian held territory and known for its slave markets.

**Rutan Prime – **Homeworld of the Rutani.

**Sesharrim – **Homeworld of the Gaoul. A peaceful planet consisting of hundreds of islands in an endless red ocean. Also known for the abundance of hydrogen trees that grow in large concentrations around the islands.

**She'loh – **Larger moon orbiting Sogowa Prime.

**Sogowa Prime – **The Mantrin homeworld where the Mantrins settled after Mantra became uninhabitable. The Center of the Empire and the largest Mantrin occupied world. A day takes 26 hours to complete and a one Sogowan year is 329 of these days.

**Solbrecht – **A large metropolitan planet where a lot of different species live together and have established colonies of their own. The planet's native species are called the Solbrechtians, a large and ruthless four-armed species.

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Species:

**Akrennians – **Homeworld: Akrennia. An untrustworthy species mostly known as slave traders. Their homeworld is called Akrennia, although they are also very active on other worlds for their slave trading business. Especially Pl'ochda is one of them. Akrennians are a somewhat eccentric species that doesn't care too much about personal hygiene. The social structure is based on clans with different relations in between. There are a few different Akrennian races.

Akrennian races created by Titan A.E. fans (these belong to their original creators!):

Rachta

Ss'kta

Z'kii

**D'amarans – **Homeworld: D'amara. Peaceful species allied to the humans.

**Denali – **Homeworld: Denalia. Humanoid species with a blue scaled skin, webs between toes and fingers and both lungs and gills. They live in beautiful underwater domed cities.

**Fauldrans – **Homeworld: Fauldro. Inhabitants of the planet Fauldro.

**Gaoul – **Homeworld: Sesharrim. Highly intelligent bat-like creatures with great knowledge about the galaxy. They may look primitive but they're a race much older than most others and have already existed for millions of years.

**Grepoans – **Homeworld: Grepoa. An amphibious-like species known for their eccentric personality. Their homeworld Grepoa is located in the far reaches of the Drelia quadrant and is almost impossible to find if you don't know where to look. They've created some of the most advanced scientific and medical technologies in the Spiral Arm and they're happy to share it with any ally.

**Gvort – **Homeworld: Unpronounceable. The name of the Gvort homeworld can't be pronounced by most species and is a small swamp-like world. Of course it's known for its abundance of slave markets.

**Huk'la – **Homeworld: Huk'lath V. Thick-furred mole-like creatures with large claws made for digging. They're quite trustworthy but none too intelligent and almost blind. They are able to distinguish each other by smell. The Huk'la live their lives in large underground cities close to the core of their frozen planet to take advantage of the heat and geothermal energy.

**Indarians – **Homeworld: Indar Prime. A militaristic species that look like intelligent foxes walking on two legs.

**Lheolians – **Homeworld: Lheolia II. The inhabitants of Lheolia are a very good-natured people which know a lot about having fun. Their homeworld is frequently visited by people from the farthest corners of the galaxy.

**Mantrins – **Homeworld: Sogowa Prime. A short-tempered species known as great warriors throughout the galaxy. They have a large muscular build, a tail, birdlike beaks and large triple jointed legs with double knees. They have established a large empire with many colonies throughout the quadrant. The center of the empire is Sogowa Prime. Their empire tends to expand without conquering but through colonization. They are responsible for the finest weapon technologies you'll findin the galaxy. Nobody knows exactly how many different races and crossbreeds exist.

Mantrin races created by Titan A.E. fans (these belong to their original creators!):

Amadre

Dalsyth

Fjetahna

Goureg

Lesser Arcanna

Logri

Natpan

Noctre

Orketh

Osakan

Porlau

Ryrjhii

Soneg

Soneth

Songri

Sonowan

Soxowan

Talocaan

**Rutani – **Homeworld: Rutan Prime. Strong, one-horned species with nostrils on the side of their heads. They're not exactly known for their friendliness.

**Qu'utians – **Homeworld: Qu'ut Minor. Tall slender lizard-like creatures with mossy patches of colored fur. They are peaceful and friendly and wise. Their second homeworld is Qu**'**ut Minor after the destruction of Qu**'**ut Prime by the Drej.

**Seraphim – **Homeworld: Unknown. Alien beings from another dimension known as the quantum realm. The trans-dimensional distortions provided them with a means to leave the quantum realm once more, letting groups of rogue Seraphim warriors escape their realm to wreak havoc on other worlds.

**Solbrechtians –** Homeworld: Solbrecht. The ruthless four-armed species native to Solbrecht. Most are criminals.

**Vusstrans –** Homeworld: Vusstra. Native to Vusstra, they are an intelligent industrial species that hatch from pods.

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Ships:

**AMS **_**N'gara**_** – **Akrennian warship now in command of Captain Ayko. It's an Akrennian battlecruiser of the same as the _Tsun'rhaa_ however it was nearly destroyed during the war with the Machines. Her former Captain was killed in combat.

**RSS **_**Arcadia**_** – **Slightly modified version of the Atlantis class Republican _Dominator_ carrier commanded by Captain Michael Jericho. It carries a total of three hundred _Dominator_ attack drones and is heavily shielded, armored and armed to the teeth.

**RSS **_**Nepenthe**_** – **Large state-of-the-art science vessel of the Republican fleet. It has many scientists from different worlds on board as the ship is primarily aimed at making new discoveries.

**RSS **_**Valkyrie**_** – **The refitted Republican starship _Valkyrie_. Commanded by Captain Joseph Korso. Designated as a _Valkyrie_ class interceptor, this design is the basis for a number of ships in the Republican fleet.

**Soros – **Huge Gvort slave ship and one of the largest moving slave markets in the whole quadrant. Sells just about anything illegal next to slaves.

**USS **_**Highlander**_ **–** Carinthia class Federation vessel. Crew complement of 1847. Starfleet registry number NCC-95430. Under the command of Captain Jason Pierce. Being an incredibly large ship (more than 1700 meters in length); the _Highlander_ was used as a heavy command dreadnought in the Titan universe since the discovery of the rift leading there. The ship features extensive diplomatic facilities but is capable of one hell of a fight. Heavy ablative armor, primary and secondary shielding are some of its defensive capabilities. For the offence there are Type XII phaser strips, fore and aft pulse phaser cannons and rapid-fire photon and quantum torpedo turrets.

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Stations:

_**Atlas**_** – **The _Atlas_ space station is the large orbital facility in command of Earth's defense and dry-dock operations. It has its own defense systems and multiple command centers for different kinds of operations. The station has already been expanded multiple times and now even has its own large spaceport and center of commerce.

**Starbase **_**Titan – **_Federation starbase in the Titan universe that functions as a staging area for all Federation vessels stationed in this universe. It is named after an important event that clearly distinguishes this universe from others. The starbase also guards the trans-dimensional gate used by Starfleet to enter the Titan universe.

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Weapons:

**Armored Command Unit (ACU) – **Massive armored mecha suit with all the blue prints onboard for building an army of robotic warmachines on the battlefield itself. The Commander of the ACU has unrivaled military power and can even conquer an entire planet on its own. Its only flaw is that the unit itself is controlled by a pilot that needs rest. The destruction of an ACU is accompanied by an explosion comparable to a one hundred megaton thermo nuke.

_**Black Sun**_** – **UEF planet-killing weapon of mass destruction. The cannon, when fully charged is capable of sending huge bursts of quantum energy through the quantum gate network destroying any mass it comes in contact with, including entire worlds.

_**Hiron**_** battlemech – **A heavy assault walker used by the Mantrin Imperial Armed Forces. Some of its features are dual heavy railguns, rapid-fire plasma cannons and anti-air missile pods with tracking capability.

**Railgun – **A powerful weapon which fires solid slugs at extremely high velocities. It can't be stopped by weaker shields and is great for ripping through the thickest armor.

**Plasma cannon – **Fires pulses of concentrated and superheated plasma at the target. As you can imagine, it is quite destructive.

**Plasma incendiary bomb – **A type of bomb exploding in a carpet of superheated plasma, instantly melting away all opposition.

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Terminology:

**Galaxy** **–** The Titan A.E. Galaxy is divided into six quadrants which are in turn divided into sectors. All the action takes place in the Bellisan quadrant which is the one that is fully explored by mankind.

Bellisan quadrant: Fully explored by mankind.

Davlan quadrant: Unexplored territory, mostly unknown, although there have been reports that many dangerous species own the sectors of this quadrant.

Drelia quadrant: Partially explored by mankind

Majicka quadrant: Unexplored territory, a research ship sent here was lost, never to be heard from again.

Octron quadrant: Unexplored territory. Very little is known about this quadrant except that it is a dangerous place to go into.

Selinia quadrant: Partially explored by mankind.

**Genesis project – **A top secret military research project of the Elite Assault Force. Instead of improving the weaponry of the soldiers, leading scientist Doctor Galen and his team are trying to improve the warrior itself to the point it will become the weaponry. Using advanced genetic engineering they are trying to create the ultimate warrior who can kill with a single thought.

**Ion reactor – **An energy reactor that utilizes highly charged ions to power engines and ships systems.

**Spiral Arm – **See 'Galaxy'.

**The Infinite War – **A conflict between three factions of humanity in another universe that lasted for more than one-thousand years. The war was ended when the United Earth Federation fired its ultimate weapon _Black Sun_ and destroyed the core worlds of the other two faction eliminating all opposition and uniting the three factions together.

Video feed: youtube .com/watch?v=IBmWM3sTnI8

Youtube Supreme Commander Opening Cinematic

**Trans-dimensional distortion** **–** Or inter-dimensional rift. A connection between two colliding universes. The distortion must be stable enough in order to get a ship through or to transform it into a stable gateway. In its natural form, it emits Tetryon radiation and releases Isolytic bursts. The more unstable the distortion the higher the amount of released radiation, lethal particles and Isolytic energy.

**Warp engine –** An engine capable of producing a subspace displacement field that allows ships to travel faster than light. Thanks to the properties of this field, time inside is progressing at the same rate as outside. The source that powers such an engine can be based on various types of energy.


	3. Prologue: Approach of War

**Prologue: Approach of War**

Being a warrior does not come naturally to everyone. To become one you have to train hard, fight on a regular basis and develop your fighting skills beyond those of others around you. But more importantly, you have to be able to kill without thought, throw yourself into the middle of a battle for everything you stand for, sometimes even if that means suicide. But there are exceptions to those rules. Being a member of the Mantrin species, Niy'tan was one of them. He could feel his warrior's blood saturated with adrenaline rushing through his veins at the moment. He could hear it rushing through his ears accompanied by the rhythmic beat of both his hearts, that pumped like two big war drums.

The plains of Sogowa Prime were most peaceful at any time of the year but not this day. The sounds of twittering birds were now drowned out by the massive machines of war that marched the open grass-covered fields surrounding the city of Chereon. The engine-droning of assault gunships flying overhead made him wish Kirliya hadn't given them such sensitive ears. The heavy thumping of the metal claws from battlewalkers shook the planet to its core. These _Hiron _battlemechs were huge heavily armed warmachines featuring dual heavy railguns, rapid-fire plasma cannons and powerful anti-air missile launchers. They hadn't been used on their own soil for dozens of years but this situation required a little more than just a group of regular soldiers. But this was not the time for distracting thoughts like that. The city where he and his family lived was threatened by an outside force much more powerful than anticipated at first. They had come without warning in the middle of the night, forcing some kind of drop ship through the atmosphere that landed in a more isolated area of the planet. The quake that followed could be felt all the way to the place where he lived and that was still almost a hundred kilometers from the impact area. The explosion shook the inhabitants awake but no serious damage was done to the city. No one knew what happened after that as the whole area became a black spot on the radar shortly after the rough landing of the huge pod. But Niy'tan had some idea about who they were, who had dared to set its filthy foot on Imperial soil. Rumors told that they were from another universe, another realm normal beings weren't able to set foot in. No one knew what they were doing here and what they wanted but the fact that a significant force was now on its way to the closest settlement was enough to make clear that they weren't exactly on friendly terms.

Niy'tan was just another soldier dispatched to defend the city to whatever it was the unknown enemy was sending in. But he knew that this was one of those orders. Chances of winning were a little too low for comfort as the only intel they had on their opponents proved that they were technologically far superior and their numbers greater than theirs. His superiors ensured him and his fellow warriors that support was on its way and that they needed to hold out until they arrived. _Nowhere near possible. _If the reports were accurate he could be joining his ancestors together with the rest of the city's inhabitants in the next couple of minutes.

Thoughts like that were dangerous on the battlefield so he blocked them out and instead prepared for the battle ahead, focusing on the incoming data on his eyepiece and the orders from his superiors coming in via a small loudspeaker.

"Enemy forces detected. Range: two-thousand meters. Gunship squadrons Bravo and Charlie, standby to provide support. Enemy interceptors have been spotted. Altitude: Five-hundred meters. Mech battalions, arm anti-air missiles launchers and prepare to shoot them out of the sky."

Niy'tan watched as the four-engined gunships moved out ahead of the group to try and turn as many enemies as possible to scrap metal before they reached their ground forces. Missile pods on the _Hirons _activated their tracking systems and railguns and plasma cannons were charged to full power. Niy'tan could feel the cold sweat running down from his armpits as he kept up with the rest of his squad. Sweating however had nothing to do with the temperature, his heavy body armor or their steady pace. Biting his teeth and clamping his weapon, a powerful pulse rifle, with both his clawed hands. He didn't like the way things were going. They would be fighting out in the open. The outstretched plains that formed this part of Sogowa's surface were surrounded by forests and a few scattered trees interrupted the endless grass fields home to many grazing animals. The landscape offered practically no places for cover and the enemy air units would be able to pick them off one by one from the sky.

Holding position near one of those large trees he followed the instructions of his squad leader. Squinting against the bright afternoon sun he spotted the first enemies coming in dead ahead.

"What the?-"

He swallowed the rest of it, his mind trying to process what his eyes were seeing. Enormous tanks rolled over the battlefield, their energy cannons locked on potential target. Fast and agile walkers that were even bigger flanked these rolling behemoths from the sides and huge transports unloaded their deadly cargo by dropping them off directly on the battlefield. But it was the look of these machines that captured the attention of him and his fellow warriors. The sun casting its shine on the shimmering silvery black armor, patterned by yellowish veins had a most intriguing effect. It appeared like the dark metal didn't have any solid form but acted like a liquid shell, almost like a metallic skin. What was even more unusual was that some of these machines featured an elegant asymmetric design like they were grown instead of built. Niy'tan's beak dropped open as he wondered what kind of race could be piloting these machines and what their reasons were for attacking his homeworld with such ferocity. _Were they even operated by a pilot at all?_ His brief moment of astonishment turned into anger when his squad leader made him realize why they were here. This race had invaded Sogowa without a clear reason and they were going to pay for it.

"All right this is it!" his squad leader, a large cranky Goureg missing an ear yelled.

His eyes flashed with anger and the eagerness to teach these incoming aliens a rather painful lesson. Niy'tan knew he was a tough one and would stop at nothing in order to prevent them from destroying the city.

"Here they come! Are we going to let them take our city?"

"No sir!" Niy'tan and his fellow soldiers yelled, their fists hitting the sky.

"Then let's teach them a lesson they'll never forget! For the Empire!"

The rest of the squad repeated his yell and dropped to their first set of knees, aiming for the incoming enemy units, their rifles at the highest power setting. At two-hundred meters from their position, the enemy tanks stopped rolling and the walkers held position beside them, the sun casting a bright glare off their armor that almost seemed to glow. They just stood there, holding position.

"_What is this?_" Niy'tan thought.

There was something about this small army of massive machines that bothered him. _Is this some kind of threat display? Where are their soldiers?_Perhaps that was an even greater reason for concern. He could very well remember the Machines from another universe that used mechanical armies and fleets in combat. But this weren't the Machines for sure. The race behind this unprovoked attack was an even greater mystery than their sinister looking weaponry. But another more important question was: How did they manage to build up forces so quickly? There had only been one pod. Suddenly one of the asymmetrically-shaped tanks on the front row aimed its weapon on one of the _Hiron_'s and fired. A crackling white burst of energy left the muzzle of the turret located on the left side of the tank and penetrated the smaller mech's body with ease. The explosion that followed instantly killed the pilot and reduced the entire machine to a smoldering heap. One shot from that huge tank instantly destroyed one of the Imperial Army's most powerful warmachines. Just one shot. The shocked faces of the Mantrin warriors turned from the smoking remains of the mech to the machine that had fired the shot. Niy'tan laid his ears in his neck as a low-pitched growl escaped his beak just like the other soldiers. They didn't care that they were outgunned. They were going to feel the wrath of the Imperial Army's finest soldiers.

They held their fire until the small loudspeaker crackled in his right ear.

"No response to our hails. All units are cleared to engage the enemy at will."

That was the moment they'd been waiting for.

"Die you (ugly curse in Mantrin language)!" Niy'tan hissed.

He aimed his weapon at a spot on the target that seemed vulnerable and fired. The discharge of his weapon echoed over the plains until it struck the target directly and accurately, not even a centimeter off from where he aimed. His shot was followed by hundreds of others as his brothers in arms followed his example and scored direct hits too. But as Niy'tan analyzed the data coming in on his eyepiece he couldn't believe his eyes. _Not even a scratch?_ His shot was well-targeted and the enemy wasn't using shields to protect its units. What was going on here? _Probably just tough armor._ The hovering gunships started to provide their much needed support and began harassing the enemy with a missile and laser barrage from above. The sound of the dual heavy railguns of a _Hiron_ droned out the discharges of the pulse rifles as the high-powered solid slugs found their way to the target. The slugs penetrated the shiny armor with ease, ripping through the interior until an explosion followed by a small shockwave blew the massive tank apart. Inky black smoke bellowed out of the carcass of the machine as its companions still stood there, motionless.

"_They're testing us out_" Niy'tan thought as he targeted the legs from one of the more than twenty meters tall walkers.

This was insane. They were nothing more but ants to them. They could crush them with ease yet they didn't return fire. But their armor was extremely resistant, deflecting and absorbing most of their good shots.

But eventually the inevitable happened. The enemy army started to move again, slowly pressing towards them as their targeting sensors found what they were looking for. Playtime was over. One of the monstrous mechs aimed its dual energy cannons somewhere in his direction. Niy'tan instinctively dropped to his belly in the grass as the bolts passed over his head and slammed into the ground with devastating force, leaving a deaf feeling in both his ears. After that, everything around him started to fade. At first he had thought they had the enemy outnumbered but it had been the other way around all along. They had more units coming in than anticipated at first. The shots fired in his direction had blown craters into the ground, a rain of dirt falling down on him and his fellow soldiers. The noise was deafening. The whining of shots, the explosions and the yelling and screaming of the soldiers. Mechs exploded, sending sharp and deadly debris in all directions and gunships crashed to the ground due to anti-air fire from several units in the back of the enemy formation. The tree was cut down by enemy fire, the trunk completely disintegrating, sending splinters in all directions. It temporarily provided the soldiers with some cover but it wouldn't stop the enemy force. One of the _Hirons _was crushed under the remains of the massive tree together with some of the unfortunate soldiers that didn't manage to get away fast enough. They managed to destroy five more of the enemy's units but it was nowhere near enough to make a difference. One moment he was lying in the grass, trying to stay in the cover of the fallen tree. The other he was running for his life as fast as his large triple-jointed legs could carry him. He could vaguely hear squad leaders yelling in his right ear.

"We're getting hammered! We need support! Now!"

When Niy'tan craned his head into the direction of the city for a brief moment he spotted a detachment of bombers taking off from the airfield outside the city. Chereon had one small active military base on the edge of the city but they needed something drastic if the enemy had more on the way. The bombers assumed an arrow formation and were straight on course for the enemy, on the look-out for the anti-air.

"Copy that squad leader. Pressing the target. Dropping payload."

The bombers kept up their speed to avoid taking hits from the ground while dropping their carpet of heavy plasma incendiary bombs on the enemy forces. The heat for those on the ground was unbearable but fortunately that was also the case for the enemy's machines as multiple explosions indicated the end of those that were hit directly. The ground was scorched, red glowing molten metal forming small pools between the remaining enemy force. But a yell over the frequency Niy'tan was monitoring while continuing to return fire with the other retreating soldiers told him a new threat had arrived. The bombers that headed back to base were shot in the back by those interceptors they had warned about. Those oddly-shaped fighters featured a similar elegant asymmetrical design but their Gatling weapons made short work of the retreating bombers which crashed to the ground. Niy'tan watched this with anger boiling in his chest. A growl escaped his beak as he fired back at the remaining enemy forces in blind rage. But that turned out to be a mistake on his part.

An explosion at less than a meter in front of him temporarily rendered him blind and send him sailing through the air. He screamed when he hit the ground, losing his weapon, crawling on his belly to find cover. He tossed the shattered eyepiece into the grass and scrambled back to his feet but for some reason he couldn't. His left foot kept slipping away. But when he looked down to find the reason for that his face twisted into horror. His left leg… was gone. His lower and middle leg segment were torn off by the explosion. His upper left leg segment ended in a bloody stump, the bone sticking out. He sucked in a few ragged breaths when he tried to get away from the approaching tanks in vain. One of his fellow warriors noticed his mutilated brother and grabbed his arm.

"C'mon hurry!" the Logri yelled.

"Safe yourself!" Niy'tan coughed.

He was rapidly losing blood and wouldn't make it unless he received immediate help yet the Logri was determined to help him. He pulled Niy'tan back on his one leg and supported his left arm.

"C'mon!" he snarled.

But it was of no use. Another explosion knocked them both of their feet sending them to the ground.

"I told you to go. Leave me" Niy'tan almost begged.

The Logri stared back at him, willing to save him.

"Go!"

After on last hesitation and a look at the approaching warmachines he ran, leaving him. Feeling his life slipping away he watched a small pod trailing white smoke making its way to the city. _What was that?_ When it was directly above the settlement it started to descend vertically, the distance between it and the ground rapidly shrinking. The city where he lived. Where his family lived. He had failed them. Or at least he felt like he had failed them. Watching the pod or whatever it was make contact with the ground in the middle of Chereon his last thoughts were with his family. Only for a moment, until everything around him dissolved into a blinding bright light.

_**Authors note: Music track 1**_

Ten days earlier…

Captain Robert Ibanez sat in his ready room, enjoying a warm cup of strong coffee. He was in command of the RSS _Nepenthe_, the first science and exploration vessel in the Republican fleet and a vessel truly outfitted for that job. It was equipped with the latest in sensor technology and the half a dozen science labs that were aboard didn't have only the standard stuff aboard. In addition, among his crew were scientists from a dozen different worlds, all part of an exchange program run by the Republic. Indeed he had to admit, some of these aliens were truly masterminds, sometimes coming up with things only a non-human could come up with. He didn't mind working with aliens. In fact, he loved working with them. He had always loved to talk to people who spend their time, exploring and discovering new things. And this time, they were about to make such a discovery.

"Captain's log, March 2nd, 3044. It's now one week ago since I took command of the _Nepenthe_ and I must say I'm glad I took the job. In one week we've already made three major discoveries, ranging from new forms radiation and a set of asteroids containing a large quantity of deuterium isotopes to a whole new form of non-corporeal life. Never thought a cloud of gas could hold a form of conscience but I think we proved that it can. Anyway, I've ordered a change of course that will take us near the Iridana nebula in a few minutes. My chief science officer, I can't remember how to pronounce that guy's name. Was it Kyriin or Kyrian? Well he's an Indarian and it doesn't really matter but he detected an unusual energy spike inside the nebula that sparked my interest. We're gonna take a look as this could very well be our fourth major discovery. And it's still practically in our own backyard. I believe that the farther we travel into the space, the more the cosmos will amaze us and reveal some of its many secrets to those interested enough to go and take a look. Computer save recording."

The computer gave a series of beeps to confirm and Ibanez leaned back in his chair, listening to the soft humming of the warp engines pushing his ship forward at velocities far faster than the speed of light. Closing his eyes and sipping from his cup of coffee, envisioning that it was made of freshly grinded coffee beans instead of the synthetic stuff that it actually was his thoughts drifted away to the original Earth. Whenever he talked about it with his fellow Captains they all had feelings of homesickness. Admitted, New Earth was a little paradise on its own but it still wasn't the same. Sometimes it was a little too perfect for his taste. But as long as it wasn't going to be blown up beneath his butt he didn't care. At least they _had_ a homeworld again.

"Bridge to Captain Ibanez."

Slowly opening one eye he put his cup down on his desk and answered the communiqué. To be honest, he had rather taken a little nap but duty called as always.

"Go ahead?"

"Captain we are approaching the nebula. Preparing to drop out of warp."

"I'm on my way."

He emptied the cup and stared at the picture of his father on his desk. The face of an explorer and when he looked at that picture it was like looking into a mirror. A mirror that showed him the future. The person he could be. Blake Ibanez had been the Captain of a deep space explorer too. But his father had been an unfortunate man. His ship had been brutally attacked and destroyed by Drej stingers while conducting research on stellar anomalies. His ship was only lightly armed, unable to defend itself. The thought alone made him grind his teeth in a sudden anger. At least they found his body and those of his fellow officers in the floating wreckage that once had been the _Endeavour_, one of Earth's most advanced science vessels at that time. He had always wanted to be like his father. And now that he was he was proud of himself. He had been even more proud if his father would have been able to see him right now. He took a deep breath and burrowed the memories of his past again before he left the room.

"_They would only get in the way_" he thought.

Upon entering the command deck his crew was ready to receive their next orders, their faces, both human and alien, shining of eagerness to find out about that mysterious energy reading. His female First Officer, a Denali which was rather unusual, greeted him and informed him about their current status. Denali rarely left their matriarchal society as they were a very private humanoid species but since the birth of the alliance that was slowly changing. Her name was Iuyana and that was one of the easier ones. She was beautiful in some way, her blue skin, purple-colored eyes and the two sharp horns on her head, but most likely not interested in a simple human being. The main viewer currently displayed what was ahead of the ship. Twenty million kilometers in front of them the Iridana nebula stretched itself out in all directions. A sinister cloud of whirling gases, patches of radiation and deadly obstacles in the form of asteroids and other space junk from vessels that didn't make it through the gas cloud. It was nothing more than a death trap for those navigators and helm officers who didn't take their work serious. But Ibanez knew he could trust on the skills of his helmsman, a Fauldran, because he had honed them at his own homeworld: Fauldro Flight Academy, the top-ranking flight school in the spiral arm.

Taking place in the Captain's chair, Ibanez answered the alien's unspoken question with a nod.

"All right, take us in. Raise shields and slow down to half impulse as soon as we enter. I don't wanna take risks in this thing. It could be dangerous."

The ship began to move again on his command, the distance to the nebula gradually shrinking until the outer hull touched the first layers of gas.

"Let's see what's in there" Ibanez mumbled.

"How's it with that energy reading mister?... What was your name again?"

The Indarian chief science officer, wearing the same navy-blue uniform replied with a smirk.

"Just call me Kyriin sir" the fox-like creature replied.

"I know your kind is having trouble with some of our names. I understand."

"Please excuse me for that. What about the reading?"

The alien turned to his console and tapped few buttons to refresh the sensor readings, compensating for the particle flux of the nebula around them to collect more accurate readings.

"It is definitely getting stronger Captain. And I think I can say for certain now that it's a form of energy of some kind. Something that doesn't match anything in our database."

Robert's enthusiasm was on the rise now, becoming stronger the deeper they headed inside the nebula. What was it that it was hiding? Some kind of anomaly no one has ever witnessed before? Or maybe the gascloud had become home to a new form of life? He was in for a pleasant surprise.

"Status?"

"Our systems don't seem to have any trouble with the environment sir, we can increase speed at your command."

"No keep it steady. No need to rush."

As he knew, that could only lead to a lethal encounter with an asteroid or other floating junk. His helmsman was skillfully evading the larger pieces of rock and the smaller ones were pulverized against the energy barriers protecting his ship from all sides sending small barely tangible trembles throughout the ship's superstructure. If they proceeded too fast they would be the ones being pulverized. It would also put a bigger strain on the engines as the intake manifolds would have to handle more space dust.

"Anything?" Robert asked, moving towards the tip of his chair looking for something interesting in the endless soup of purple-blue gases.

"Signal is getting weaker the longer we maintain our present course" Kyriin replied.

"Adjust our course" his Denali First Officer ordered.

Robert could almost _feel_ his ship turn as his helmsman slowly adjusted course to intercept the signal that got stronger as he did. They were closing in on whatever it was that was using this nebula as its hiding place.

"I think I've got something" Kyriin said, bowing over his console to verify the readings.

A melody of soft beeps reached Ibanez's ears as his alien science officer tried to make sense out of all the telemetry coming in simultaneously.

"It's a structure of some kind, I think" he said slowly.

There was a pause.

"Yes it's definitely artificial and there's a lot of energy coming from that direction. It must be their power source. Whoever this race is, they must be quite advanced as the energy signature is completely unknown but very powerful."

Carefully listening to everything the Indarian said, Robert gazed into the distance on the main viewer. There, near that asteroid. _Is that a station? _The layers of gas became thinner and now his eyes confirmed what the scanners had picked up earlier. It was indeed a station, but not just one. This first structure was connected to others of its kind by tubes. It was only one small part of a massive complex spanning dozens of kilometers in every direction. The larger asteroids that had once been floating around now made part of this complex too, odd-looking mining installations build on their surfaces. Robert however had the feeling someone just walked over his grave.

"_Who are they? Where do they come from_" he thought trying if he could spot something familiar.

He ordered the ship to a halt. He didn't want to come any closer unless he knew what their intentions were. The complex looked ominous. Everything was made from a silvery black sort of metal alloy, Kyriin had trouble identifying too. Yellow veins drew patterns over the surfaces of every structure. Even those mining structures looked bizarre to say the least. Three droplet-shaped thingies were collecting and refining any raw materials on site. They appeared to be moving all by themselves but Robert figured that they were likely propelled by some kind of energy field.

"There is certainly a lot of energy being produced in there."

"Can you detect any kind of weapon systems?"

Kyriin shook his head, flicking his fox ears.

"Our scanners are having trouble penetrating the outer hull. I'm trying to compensate but-"

A powerful crackling white energy burst collided with the shields at high velocity knocking crewmembers all over the ship off their feet. Ibanez grabbed the armrests of his chair as his body was pushed to the left by the sudden blow. They were lucky the shields had been up all the time cause it would have caused a lot of damage if that thing had hit the bare hull. Red Alert status had been automatically engaged, an acoustic alarm blaring over the bridge for a short moment.

"Report!"

"I think we just found out what their intentions are! They don't seem to like visitors!" Iuyana responded with fierce as more bursts of volatile energy collided with their weakening right shields.

The alien woman growled softly and revealed her sharp fangs making Robert realize once more that she wasn't a woman of the type he was used to. Females were dominant in their society so they also made up most of their warriors.

"Back us off!" Ibanez yelled as a rain of sparks showered down on the deckplating.

With engines pushed to full power the ship made a sharp hundred-and-eighty-degree turn and made a run for it. But the complex was not just using defensive batteries to keep any intruders out.

"Interceptors! They are going for our engines!"

Fast attack interceptors with high-powered energy autocannons began attacking the _Nepenthe_ with the ferocity of a group of sharks. The fighters featured an asymmetrical design, sleek and elegant but their attacks were devastating as their numbers were greater than anything the _Nepenthe_ could handle.

"Return fire!" Robert shouted, his bridge exploding around him.

The ship trembled violently, the enemy weapon systems draining the shields much faster than anticipated.

"They're pretty fast! Our weapons are having trouble getting a lock!"

A support beam from the ceiling collapsed creating an obstruction on the bridge. Fires started near blown conduits and smoke and other gases began filling the bridge with a thick layer of mist. Robert stumbled towards one of the nearby consoles, coughing because of the smoke burning in his lungs. He couldn't determine if his injured officer operating the flickering panel was dead or only unconscious but he surely wasn't able to carry out an order. Hastily tapping the blinking buttons on the panel to send a distress signal he realized it was over. His ship was surrounded, damaged beyond repair, leaking atmosphere and about to explode. _This is how my father must have felt when the Drej attacked his ship._

"Another hull breach, decks seven and eight! The ion matrix is going critical!"

The only thing that flashed through his mind was to send this one message. He rammed on the 'send' button but nothing happened.

"No, no no! Damn it!"

He rammed his fist on the console, the glass breaking, splinters cutting into his skin. Blood trickled from his hand that was still balled into a fist. The sound of an overload in the console reached his ears and he instinctively dropped himself to the deck, the heat stroking his back as the panel exploded. The bang left a deaf feeling in his right ear. He cursed. He cursed the alien race that was about to end their lives in such a miserable way. His life passed by in front of him. His father, the man he wanted to equal and maybe even surpass. And his mother who had left his father when he was still a boy because she didn't want a husband who was never there to share life with her. It was so unfair. The irony was that he was going to die the same death as his father. Brutally slaughtered by aliens that didn't care about a few thousand deaths more or less even if they were of no threat to them. He kept the faces of his parents with him till the last moments before he died, trying to block out the noise of the explosions, the shouts of the remaining members of his crew and the alarm blaring over the bridge, announcing a core breach. Until the invisible timer reached zero and the blinding light took everything away, reuniting him with the man he admired so much.


	4. Chapter 1 The Genesis Child

_**Authors note: Music track 2 (Intro Music) **_

**The Genesis Child**

Lheolia II was one of the most beautiful worlds in the entire spiral arm. A marvelous place where worries would disappear spontaneously the moment your foot, tentacle, or other more exotic things you used for walking touched the soil. Endless white beaches, crystal blue sea's, outstretched jungles where an abundance of sweet fresh fruit grew in the wild and a sun that kept the temperature at a most pleasant level at all times. The inhabitants of the planet were well aware of the pleasure their planet had to offer and the Lheolians made a fortune thanks to the many visitors the planet had during each time of the Lheolian year. If it were just an ordinary vacation or something more intimate and special like a honeymoon, the planet offered practically anything related to entertainment.

One week was all they had and the longer they stayed, Stith realized it wasn't enough from day one. Standing on the balcony of their apartment, overlooking the beach and the transparent blue water of the sea she gazed into the distance, sighing. One week of freedom from care and this was the last day. She took a deep breath, inhaling the pure salty air from the sea. The apartment they used was one of the largest suites of the hotel. It was build against a massive cliff hanging over the beach that surrounded a large bay. Swimmers from different worlds decided to take a dive inside the bay, in which the water was warmed to a temperature as warm as twenty-three degrees by the sun. It was still a little early in the morning but this was the last day of their honeymoon and Stith wanted to make sure it would be the best. But this morning she felt different. She was a little nauseous, her breasts hurt and something didn't feel right… or maybe it did? The fresh air helped against the nausea but she was a little on edge and Kero just had to be careful what he said to her at this hour.

A sudden pain hit the spot beneath her stomach. A growl escaped her beak, her hand, now balled into fist hitting the railing of the balcony with force. _Damn it! Now I know how my mother must have felt. _Wondering how long it was gonna take for Kero to fresh up she was starting to get annoyed. His gentle low-pitched voice sounded caring when he flung an arm around her shoulder.

"Hey, are you all right?" he asked.

His bright blue eyes pierced into hers when she turned her head towards him with a tug.

"Fine" she snarled.

He was noticeably shocked at how she reacted and dropped his arm from her shoulder.

"_This is not fair_" she thought, the expression on her face softening. _He has nothing to with it._

"Sorry. It's not your fault. I'm a little on edge lately."

"So I've noticed. What's wrong?"

She had already felt it not so long ago yet she didn't tell him when it first started. But now it really started to get annoying. It began to interfere with their honeymoon and she didn't want to leave him in the dark. It concerned him maybe even more than herself. She looked at her mate, the sweet-natured Goureg Prince, until her eyes found his.

"Kero? I think I might be pregnant."

Kero's face turned into a mixture of confusion and joy. He flattened an ear.

"Isn't it that bit early? It's only two weeks."

"Early? Another two and we've gotta take care of an egg. Three weeks and we're gonna have an extra mouth to feed. Maybe two."

She shook her head and yawned. Being pregnant was sure tiresome. She had read about it once but never expected to experience it on such a short term.

"Remember our first night as a married couple?" she groaned.

Kero smiled and crossed his massive trunk-sized arms.

"Yeah, it was a rather rough one as I recall."

Stith chuckled.

"You wanted children. Anyway, I'm now just as tired as I was the morning after that night."

"Maybe it's good that this is our last day. You need to rest."

"You may be right" she replied a little curt.

She headed back inside and sat down on the bed. She knew he was going to say something like that. Two weeks of doing nothing, yuck. It couldn't get any more boring. Her eyes found the holoscroll on the left bedside table which she fetched. She searched through her personal stuff until she found the picture of her mother. In full EAF uniform, smirking, holding her weapon, the red sweatband bonding her ears together. _Oh mom, why aren't you here to help me?_ Maybe The'lah could help her through a time like this. The pain beneath her stomach held on. Maybe it was better to cut their honeymoon short and take the first transport home. That was exactly what Kero was probably thinking right now. He was standing in the door opening, arms crossed, his tail slowly whipping from one side to the other, watching her.

"Yeah, I know what you think!" she suddenly snarled.

Kero's smirk grew wider.

"On edge?" he laughed.

"I hope I'm gonna survive these two weeks."

Stith let out a sigh of annoyance. She shouldn't be yelling at him. He only wanted to help, to do what was best for her, even if that meant cancelling their honeymoon early on. She didn't want to leave but maybe it was better if they did.

"Okay let start packing."

Adding deeds to her words she started to collect everything they had brought with them for their week off. With Kero helping her it didn't take long though not without the frequent growls and groans.

"_Great, now everything starts to hurt_" she thought agitated.

Suddenly her back wasn't capable of carrying anymore too.

"Shall we?" asked Kero, holding the door open for his wife.

For obvious reasons, he was carrying most of the weight but Stith was used to doing everything by herself. She became even more annoyed by thinking about the fact that she was going to rely more on others for the upcoming two weeks of her pregnancy.

"No training, no shooting practice, is there something left I _can_ do?" she asked herself.

After Kero checked out and being wished a safe journey the two Mantrins headed for the landing spot just outside the hotel. An air cab from the hotel itself would then bring them to the local spaceport where a transport would take them back to Sogowa.

During the trip home in the, for a Mantrin rather tight civilian transport ship, she actually had a little trouble staying awake. They were both sharing a row of three seats because of their species sheer size but she had trouble fitting her large triple-jointed legs in the tight spot between the two rows. Traveling incognito to avoid dragging unwanted attention they had to take that for granted. Lying against Kero's muscular shoulder she felt her eyelids getting heavy.

"You know, I can't wait until they're born" Kero said, fantasizing what they would look like.

Goureg/Sogowan cross, that would mean bigger than a Sogowan, smaller than a Goureg. Lighter skin or maybe darker depending on which pigment color was dominant.

"I wonder what color their eyes are gonna be."

He laughed softly.

"I can't believe I'm gonna be a father soon."

Stith smiled. Having children isn't just the fun. Especially when you've got two or more of those overactive little brats. Her eyes suddenly caught a family of Akrennians, only because their parents didn't seem capable of keeping their children under control. Two girls and a boy, the latter chasing the other two. Stith watched the noisy aliens and produced an annoyed grunt. They were busy adding a headache to her collection of unpleasant feelings, something she wasn't exactly looking forward to. No matter which direction she went, there always seemed to be an Akrennian in the neighborhood to ruin her day.

"_Someone must really hate me_" she thought.

How much fun would it be to stick out a foot when he ran past? He would be launched through the cabin crashing to the floor on that ugly face of him. _No that would only produce more noise._ But Kero only seemed to look at the bright side of the situation. Having children to play with, to have fun with.

"You are really looking forward to it, aren't you?"

"Sure, I love children, I don't care which race they're from."

The Akrennians seemed to be a great nuisance to others too judging by the looks on the faces of the other passengers but nobody said something. Stith however who was already cranky because of the pain caused by her unborn children and couldn't take it anymore. Moving towards the catwalk between the rows of chairs she waited until the Akrennian children ran past again. As soon as they were near her she…

"Quiet! Or the last thing you'll ever feel will be my foot on your butt when I kick you out of the airlock!"

She couldn't have scared them more. The low-pitched growl she added nailed them to their spot on the deck, paralyzed by her unexpected outburst. The boy recovered more quickly and guided his younger sisters, which were on the edge of crying, away from her, a cheeky expression on his face. Satisfied by the silence that followed she leaned back against Kero's shoulder again, closing her eyes.

"Was that really necessary?" Kero asked with a little disappointment in his voice.

Stith opened one eye.

"They were annoying."

"Oh well, kids can be annoying but you gotta love'em."

"By the way, a starship is no place for children to grow up" she said, thinking about how they were gonna solve that problem in particular.

"It won't hurt to discipline them a little although I'm not sure if I'm capable of doing that myself" Kero wondered aloud.

He didn't even seem to hear her. Turning around she gently lifted his left ear and talked at a considerable volume.

"Hello? Stith to Kero?"

"Wow! Sorry!" he said, startled by her sudden yell.

"What were you saying?"

Stith sighed. He really didn't want to look at the negative side of it. She couldn't blame him for being optimistic but she was more concerned about her children's welfare. A starship wasn't exactly a playground and they were both officers in the Imperial Guard. It was a bit of a dilemma and she didn't want them to grow up without their mother and father. She was convinced that The'lah and Zahn would take excellent care of them but she couldn't do that. It wouldn't be morally right.

"Kero… Children? Starship? I don't think that's going to work."

"Well what do you suggest? Give up our career, buy us home, grow old and die? That's not very appealing either. Now that you've come to mention it, my father told me that the High Command thought the _Son of the Empire_ performed extremely well. The good news is that they did have a second hull for spare. With a little luck, we'll be back in space in a week or so. The hull and most of the primary systems are there, they just needed to install the rest."

"You're serious" she said.

It was more like stating a fact than asking a question.

"You bet" he replied with a wink.

Continuing their conversation and coming with ideas about how to solve their little problem, the transport ship continued on its way to the Mantrin homeworld where there was another problem to be solved. However, that was a little easier said than done.

Emperor Zahn was standing in the private communication center of the Imperial palace. He was talking to his son over a secured and scrambled com. channel. Source of the signal was untraceable and the transmission couldn't be decrypted as the encryption changed every five seconds. His son looked worried and not without reason. Rajah knew his father was holding back the anger he felt over what he just told him. He was glad that he was standing on this side of the channel. His father had his eyes closed, his arms crossed and hadn't said a word in almost half a minute now. He had just listened to what he had to say and remained silent afterwards. Rajah didn't dare to speak. The Emperor would speak only when he wanted to speak and until that moment his son remained silent. He knew his anger wasn't directed at him personally but since there was no one else talking to he did. After almost a full minute Zahn lifted his head, his eyes flashing in his son's direction. It didn't matter that it was a viewscreen. For Rajah it was like he was looking his father in the eyes directly, from about half a meter distance.

"Are you absolutely certain of this?" he grumbled.

"Yes father" Rajah replied respectfully.

"We have evidence that in secret, Galen has been working on a way to give normal Mantrins, just like you and me the psycho-kinetic powers that killed more than two dozen scientists."

Zahn could feel the anger boil in every inch of his body. His son was telling him things he should have been informed of two weeks ago. In fact, he should have been informed from the moment Doctor Galen started this madness. He would never have allowed it. And now he was using children to experiment on, to turn them into the ultimate killing machine. Zahn now realized he should have paid more attention to those disappeared children. Over the past year, eight young children had disappeared, all between one and seven months old. Their hadn't been a single pattern in the disappearances, no traces except the age of those who disappeared.

"Tell me more about this, Genesis project. What went wrong?"

Rajah didn't dare to hold anything back for his father right now. It had been a secret project, unknown to anyone outside the EAF base. But part of that base was in ruins because of what happened. He had been under orders not to tell anyone about it but those orders were now no longer valid. They were certain that Galen was still alive. He had fled after the destruction of the lab and returned to his own secret lab on a location currently still unknown. He and his experiments were a danger to anyone that got near them.

"Well the original test subjects' underdeveloped brains couldn't handle the stress of the incredible power he had given them. You see father, he stimulated the growth of regular embryos so that they would reach maturity in a few weeks. But they still had the brain of a newborn child."

He paused, trying to explain everything in a language understandable for his father.

"You see father, their cerebral cortex, the tissue that takes care of all the connections between the different parts of the brain overloaded. More neural pathways were needed to handle the extra load."

"And what happened after that?"

"Well you know what happens when circuitry runs too hot. Their neural pathways started to decay rapidly. It drove them mad and they slipped into a killing frenzy. Eventually their entire neural structure collapsed and after that they were all brain-dead."

"Then we just need to catch _him_, do we?" Zahn thundered.

"I wish it were that simple father. We currently have no idea where he is. We have search teams covering every area around the base as far as a hundred kilometers outwards but there's still no trace of him. He was all cut up about the fact that he lost his 'children' as he called them from the beginning but we have reason to believe he fled to his own secret lab, trying to perfect the procedure on those kidnapped children. Father, _he_ is behind their disappearances."

Zahn growled loudly slamming his fist against the wall, cracks appearing on the tile underneath his hand. Galen was dangerous and his creations even more. They had to stop this, right now.

"I want the EAF to hunt them down! They are danger to planetary security and need to be neutralized. Use force when you see fit but don't kill anyone unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Understood father" Rajah replied with a nod.

"Oh and Rajah? After this is over I want to personally speak to General Mithras about this whole situation. I wanna know who gave the order for the creation of these… these monsters."

"Yes father" his son replied.

"Zahn out!"

He slammed a button and the 'end transmission' message appeared on screen. Zahn let out an exasperated sigh, letting the anger he felt escape his body. At least his youngest son had been honest to him, he just knew that. But now he was beginning to wonder what more things had happened back at that base he didn´t know about. _One problem at a time. _Racking his brains to find a solution to the problems whirling around in his head he trudged back to the throne hall. His face must have been an open book. The'lah stepped up to him, an ear flattened, worried.

"You seem troubled. From the look on your face I would say that everything is falling apart."

Zahn sighed again.

"That might not be far from the truth."

"What's… what's wrong?" she asked.

His wife was always caring but this time she was afraid that her husband was about to collapse under all his obligations. He had never looked so full of concern about a particular situation before.

"Zahn dear, tell me."

She grabbed both his wrists and squeezed softly. Zahn gave her a warm smile.

"Nothing you need to worry about my love."

He pressed The'lah against him and licked her cheek.

"I still wanna know" she said releasing herself from his arms.

"All right. It had something to do with the EAF. One of their scientists has gone crazy and disappeared. He must be found. His experiments have already caused the death of two dozen innocents and if he succeeds that amount could rise to thousands. We don't know what he and his experiments are capable of."

The'lah was a bit shocked to hear this. The situation was worse than she originally thought.

"That sounds serious."

"I know but we have the entire EAF looking for them and I ordered them to find and neutralize them before he has the chance to release his mutated children into the world."

"They're not going to kill them, are they?" The'lah asked frightened.

"Only when it's absolutely necessary."

"Well I hope no harm will come to those children. They didn't ask for this either."

She paused.

"Speaking about children, Stith and Kero are coming home early, they should be here in about half an hour."

Zahn flattened an ear.

"Something not according to their wishes? I thought they were on Lheolia II. That's one of the most beautiful planets known to exist."

The'lah's smile told him something different.

"It's your daughter-in-law, she's not feeling well."

Her smile grew wider.

"Kero told me she believes she's pregnant."

This came as a surprise to the Emperor. A bit soon maybe and completely unexpected. He was wondering if his son knew what it meant to have children.

"When did he tell you this?"

The'lah crossed her arms and tapped with her massive tree-toed foot on the floor.

"Over my private comlink, while you were barking to our other son. I could hear you from here."

Zahn scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah sorry, I guess a got a little agitated."

The'lah shook her head. But she had more to do. Asking her mate to join her, she started walking towards the infirmary. The doctor might be able to come up with something to suppress the symptoms of Stith's pregnancy. She of course knew all too well how annoying those could be.

Half an hour later, the members of the Tiraya family had gathered around the sickbay bed occupied by Stith while the doctor examined her. After some favorable mumbling, tapping buttons on medical equipment and reviewing the results the older Orketh stepped up to Stith's bed with a warm smile on his face.

"I'm happy to report that you're gonna be the mother of two healthy children Princess. Congratulations to you too Prince Kero."

Stith let out a sigh of relief while happiness filled both her hearts. This was the best news she had heard in days. It filled her with joy but it was nothing compared to Kero. He nearly rocketed towards the ceiling, trying to restrain himself from jumping. He spread his arms and embraced her tightly.

"Did you hear that? Two loving children. I can't believe it."

"Ow! A little careful Kero. It hurts."

"Any idea about their sex? That would give as an idea about their needs. We also have to come up with names."

As expectant parents they had no idea what was lying ahead of them. Of course Zahn and The'lah were there to give them some advice and offer them a helping hand when the situation required it but it was far from easy.

"You can expect both a girl and a boy. No doubts. The eggshell is already starting to form around their bodies" the doctor said.

"Amazing" Kero brought out. He embraced Stith again, gentler this time and started to lick her cheek.

"I can hardly wait."

"Well you're gonna have to and for me it's even worse" Stith groaned.

Two more weeks like this and she was completely broken by the time they were born. Lucky for her the doctor had a few mild painkillers ready that wouldn't harm the unborn children in any way. She had to be careful with what she ate, and what medicines to use in this critical stage of her children's development. But now that she was certain that they were at least healthy and didn't suffer from disorders of any kind she could at least face the future with confidence.

Deep inside the forest and jungles of Sogowa was a hill unlike any other. This hill held a secret research laboratory and home to eight Mantrin children and their father. But these children were not like others of their kind. They had reached an age of about ten years old in a few weeks time. Their brains were seriously altered and given a power they shouldn't possess. It was a gift as well as a curse condemning them to a life in hiding. Their father, at least they called him that way, cared for them like they were his own, trying to make their lives as comfortable as he could.

She had always trouble excepting that, more than her brothers and sisters did. They were different from the rest of society but she had the feeling that she was also different from her brothers and sisters. What happened a few minutes ago had proved that. She knew she was stronger than them, always holding back her true power because she didn't want them to be afraid of her. But this time Syndar had gone too far. He had seen a side of her he now wished he hadn't seen. The delight she had felt when she snapped that bone in his arm with a simple thought and finally wiped that stupid grin off his face. The expression on his face had been priceless. Shezu allowed herself to laugh softly. Always teasing her, thinking she was weaker than him. _Now look what you've gotten yourself into._ The anger still burned and she was lying on her bed in the dimly lighted room she called her own. It was simple but enough to meet her needs. Shezu was part Sogowan and part Fjetahna. She had a slender build but still well muscled just like any other Mantrin. Her skin color was slightly darker than a Fjet's and lighter than a Sogowan's with her beak being a darker shade. She also had the feet of a Sogowan but another characteristic trait was her golden hair, accented by streaks of silver that grew down to her shoulders. A cocky fringe of hair was always hanging a centimeter off her forehead. It was shorter than a Fjetahna's but she didn't pay much attention to her hair, but she did wash it regularly. It just grew to a certain length and then stopped. The most unusual feature was undoubtedly her eyes which were both a different color. Her left eye was of a dull green color, the right one icy blue which was very uncommon for both races but possibly a side-effect of the mix.

Shezu knew Galen wasn't her real father. Her real parents died in a terrible accident, or so he told. He saved her and several other children who had overcome a similar fate and took care of them like they were his own. He was a father, a teacher and also a doctor who took care of the injuries they sometimes sustained during their training. But despite all of that, she loved her father unlike anyone else. And he loved her, she was certain of it. But now she was sad. Her father knew what she had done to Syndar and was probably mad at her. She wanted to be left alone and despite the fact that her stomach rumbled she didn't leave her room to eat something. Until someone knocked on the metal door sealing off her room.

"Go away! Leave me alone!" she said turned around on her bed, away from the door.

It was silent for a moment until the person behind it knocked again.

"I said go away!" she shouted.

One of the lights in the ceiling blew out and a sculpture on the small bedside table shattered into pieces by the uncontrolled power unleashed by her sudden outburst of rage. Her powers were difficult to control, especially when she let go of herself like that. Her father taught her how to concentrate without much effort, so that her powers wouldn't hurt her or anyone else around her. It was difficult since he didn't have the special abilities of his children but he was able to support her at a certain level.

"Shezu, it's your father."

"I wanna be left alone" she said, regaining control of the powerful energy slumbering in the depths of her mind.

"Shezu please."

"All right" she replied softly.

Her father slowly opened the door. Looking around the small room, noticing the damage his daughter had caused he sighed.

"I hope you're not gonna make a habit out of that one otherwise you won't have anything left to decorate your room with."

His daughter had her face turned away from him, staring at the wall on the opposite side. Galen closed the door behind him and turned up the remaining lights a bit more.

"May I sit down?" he asked gently.

She nodded slightly, still not looking up. He sat down on the bed hearing her sob softly. She was sorry, he knew it. He touched her shoulder, caressed her cheek.

"Father, I'm… I'm sorry."

She got up and finally looked at him, a glistening tear rolling down her cheek from her green eye. Another one from the blue one soon followed until Galen pressed her against him. He softly patted her on the back and brushed through her beautiful golden hair with his clawed hand.

"Shhh, I'm not mad at you. I understand Shezu. Syndar has been bullying you for some time now but I knew you were strong enough to handle him yourself. I saw this coming sooner or later."

Shezu looked up from her father's shoulder.

"But I got so mad. I didn't want to but it was so simple. A single thought and I broke his arm. I didn't even hesitate."

"Nothing I can't fix."

Her father smiled faintly.

"You all still have a lot to learn but you're becoming stronger with each day that passes. Come, do you want to have a walk with me?"

Shezu nodded and wiped her remaining tears away with the sleeve of her shirt. Rising on her legs she followed her father through the metal-plated corridors of the lab they called their home until they reached a tunnel that lead outside. A few moments later she was standing on a rocky plateau in the late afternoon sun looking out over the jungle beneath her. Her father sighed.

"I can't believe that you and your brothers and sisters are already around for two weeks now. It felt like yesterday since you first saw the world with your own eyes."

He shook his head.

"Thanks to my other experiments I had what I needed to keep you alive. Too bad that meant the death of the other fourteen children."

Shezu never fully understood what he was talking about when he spoke about his experiments. He always told her that she and her brothers and sisters were critically injured and that he managed to save them from death but not without consequences. They had lost all memories from before the accident. Gazing into the distance, Shezu wished she could go and see what was out there.

"What is out there father?"

Galen knew he would have to answer that question again. Shezu had always been more curious than the others to see what else existed outside the walls of the lab. He remained silent for a moment. Shezu abruptly kept her mouth shut. She knew her father was always a little on edge when she talked about this. This time was no exception.

"You must never leave home Shezu" he said harshly.

"The people out there are afraid of you. They might try to kill you if they discover your talents. You are the future and they are afraid to face their own future. That's why you must never leave the walls of our home. Promise me that."

"I promise father, don't worry."

She threw herself against him to show that she was serious.

"Come, you should eat something."

With a nod she followed her father back inside. Her curiosity for the outside world hadn't disappeared but she respected her father's wishes and would do as he said. He had promised her that one day, they would be allowed to leave. A day on which the people of Sogowa needed them in order to survive.


	5. Chapter 2 A New Mission

**A New Mission**

Standing in the middle of an overfull and noisy Senate filled with the representatives of worlds who had been in conflict before, Supreme Chancellor Christopher Laroc prepared his speech for today's meeting. The arrangement of the different sections of each world had been changed. Since the end of the war against the Machine Dominion and the beginning of piece, more worlds had joined up with the alliance, realizing that the benefits of working together were far greater than to remain independent. The Fauldrans, the ancient Gaoul and even the Rutani had claimed their place in the Senate building, willing to ensure a safe and better future for their race. Despite the points on today's agenda, Chris had faith in himself and the conscience of the attendants as today's matter was something that concerned them all. He had always been eloquent with words. It was his words that convinced the Chancellor of Solbrecht to let a few million human refugees stay on the planet. It was his words that laid the foundation of the alliance and the new Republic. And it was going to be his words that were about to make an end to a certain business that had been a reason for concern ever since humanity started to explore space and interact with other species. Running a hand through his, curly brown hair he cleared his throat as a sign that he wanted to begin today's meeting and politely asked if he could have everyone's attention. After the last of the rumor died out, he began to speak.

"I would like to start today's meeting with a certain matter that has been a reason for concern ever since we started to explore outer space and meet with other cultures."

His voice sounded powerful and full of authority, amplified by the sound system so that it easily reached every corner of the Senate. He immediately had their attention, not just by the loudness but also due to the tone of his voice. Chris knew he used the perfect voice for what he had to tell and so he continued. He pressed a button on the small catheter in front of him, dimming the lights and activating the holographic imaging system in the middle of the hall. The only light now come from outside, the warm rays of the sun falling through the opening in the wall of the partially open building. Chris watched as the faces of the attendants changed from their normal expression to a state of shock and horror. He knew what horrible images were displayed above his head. A video sequence of fear, pain and also death. He had seen it for himself before he began this meeting. The images had the desired effect. The ambassadors and representatives started to talk through each other as a result to what they had seen. A gentle chime indicated that the Chancellor wanted to continue but this time the muttering didn't entirely die out.

"I know. It's terrible" he said.

"The slave markets. You have them on most major worlds. All of you may have heard about them once and I believe that there might be a few among us who have witnessed or even endured the atrocities."

"We have to face it. It has to stop. Not just our people but also yours are still trapped in slave cages, chained for the rest of their miserable lives to be sold or put to work under circumstances that would kill within months. Famished, horribly mistreated, sometimes even beaten to death. How can we live, knowing that our people are suffering, leading something not even worthy of the term life?"

The muttering continued. A lot of them were nodding, knowing he was right. If he could convince them to take action with united forces, they would be able to put an end to this. But not everyone was as convinced to do something as he did. The humans, including the Federation from the other universe were of course dead set against the concept of slavery but some races partially thrived on it. An Akrennian representative stood up, clearing his throat. Chris already had the feeling they were going to cause trouble. They had their hands down in this nefarious business deep enough to earn a considerable amount of money and they were not going to give that up this easily.

"You can't do that" he yelled above the rest of the chatter, partially silencing whatever conversations were going.

"Our slave trading business is a significant part of our economy. If we lose that part, we're gonna have a problem regarding the finances of our Empire. It's rather… lucrative you see? We do not guarantee the safety of your crews if your ships cross our borders to shut them down."

Was that a threat? Chris didn't know for sure but since he had already foreseen this, the Republic had come up with a solution that would solve this problem until they had found a way to compensate. But calling the whole thing 'lucrative' simply made him angry, although he didn't show it. Damn, he hated people who thought that way.

"If you assist our campaign against slavery we will compensate you for your losses until your economy is stabilized. Remember, your people are stuck in those cages as well."

A trickle of anger slipped in his voice but lucky for him the Akrennian didn't seem to notice. It was silent for brief moment on the other side. Chris allowed a faint smile to creep along his face. He knew the alien couldn't turn down this offer. Getting rid of the slave trading would solve more problems than it caused. But of course only members of the alliance would be able to freely give up slave trading. There were of course still many worlds, not part of the alliance that did it as well. The Gvort for example were a people well known for their slave markets, which were large, wide-spread throughout the quadrant and sometimes concealed within normal markets. The Soros trade ship, just to name one of those markets was a normal trading vessel at first sight but they were not just selling commodities. It was also one of the largest moving slave markets in the entire quadrant, not to mention a prison colony for people who just 'got in the way'. The Akrennian twisted his face a bit as if he were thinking it over.

"I have to consult this with my government and then you'll hear from me soon. I'm not making any promises."

The alien sat down, ending the discussion without leaving room for further objections but Chris was satisfied, for now. Being offered financial support, the other worlds agreed to the new policy without further complaints. Some worlds didn't even have slave markets of their own. But the human part of the alliance wanted to take it a step further. To show the rest of the quadrant that the new alliance did not tolerate the selling of flesh under any circumstances.

"To make sure that everyone understands this, we are going to send out ships to slave markets from worlds not part of the alliance to free our people from the claws of the slave traders, to make sure that they'll never dare to try and claim the lives of Republican citizens as their own ever again. Worlds like Huk'lath V and P'lochda are prime targets. We want to thank the Mantrins personally for assigning one of their best infiltrators to each ship to carry out the mission. The Akrennian markets will be left alone for now until their government has agreed but the new policy is effective immediately."

The Akrennian ambassador nodded. Chris knew for certain that there were Akrennians who were against this new policy but everyone else in the Senate agreed. They were just going to have to find another way to earn money but not by selling the lives of others. That's how it was written from now on. After that, Chris continued with the regular things. The establishment of new trade routes between worlds, a little dispute that had to be resolved, the normal stuff. At last he wanted to check up how certain worlds were doing with rebuilding what they had lost. The Drej had destroyed many worlds, Qu'ut Prime being one of them. Over the past few days after the war with the Machines, science and research teams had been sent out to those destroyed worlds to see what Sam Tucker's legacy could do about it. By adapting the technology to whatever state those planets were in they could restore them to what they were. Qu'ut Prime was nothing more than an asteroid field surrounding the smaller planet Qu'ut Minor which was now the home of the surviving Qu'utians. The native homeworld of the Mantrins, Mantra, was nothing more but a barren rock bristling with volcanic activity surrounded by toxic gasses. Terraforming had proven to be futile but with the Titan technology they might be able to reverse the destabilization of the planet's core.

"It is only a matter of time now" the Mantrin ambassador listening to the name Jy'sen said.

"Your engineers have been working with ours and they are very close to a solution right now. We only need to adapt the technology for it to work."

"Glad we could be of help ambassador."

The alien nodded, pleased with what they had done to help so far. Qu'ut Prime was a different story. Ships had been busy for some time, pushing the remains of the once proud planet together with tractor beams. The great ship Titan herself had been brought to the location to begin reconstruction of the planet as soon as all the pieces were in place. The materials were there, now they just needed to bring everything together again. After all the points on today's agenda had been given sufficient attention Chris officially ended the meeting. It went well. Now it was up to the Captains of those ships to turn his words into deeds in the name of the Republic.

Being Joseph Korso's second in command, Commander Brian Kenneth knew he had to be prepared for everything. Korso was a veteran, had fought the Drej himself fifteen years ago and ran a tight ship ever since he flew under an Earth banner again. After a period of doing nothing for two straight weeks a new mission was waiting to be carried out. If he could only find all the pieces of his uniform together it would be great.

"When are you gonna come home again?" Alicia asked while Brian dove in his closet to find the navy blue uniform he would be wearing for indefinite time.

She had all the right to complain. She had been here for only two weeks and now he was going to leave her again, back into space with unbelievable distances in between them. Blast, he just loved her too much. She was from the time he lived on Solbrecht. It clicked from the moment they met. Her transport had been delayed when the Machines started attacking random targets and she couldn't make it to New Earth until just after the war. Two wonderful weeks was all they had together until he was going back into space and now that time had come.

"_It was less difficult for Cale and Akima_" he thought.

They were both officers aboard the same ship but his relationship with Alicia was a little… distant sometimes.

"I don't know honey. I'll try to come home again after this but if Command wants us to stay in space we do so."

"But I miss you so much when you are between the stars, you know that" she sulked.

Running a hand through her long blonde hair she watched how he dressed. He had trouble evading her piercing look. Her shiny deep green eyes. She didn't understand. He didn't want to leave her but he had duties to attend to. He tied his uniform jacket, brushed his teeth and tried to do something about his hair. Rubbing over the short beard growing over his chin he still noticed her watching him from the corner of his eye, arms crossed, the expression on her face one of utter disappointment. He couldn't stand that. He didn't want her to feel unhappy. He had little time left and Korso was expecting him. But secretly, this was a little more important to him right now. He walked up to her and enclosed her in his arms.

"I wanna be with you" she said with her arms around his neck.

"I know. I wanna be with you too but I've gotta go. The Captain is expecting me."

He would miss her company for sure. They sweet smell of her silky blonde hair nailed him to her. He didn't want to let go anymore but he did. Looking her in her eyes his hand slowly moved up to her cheek, then he moved closer to her and pressed his lips on hers. For a moment they kissed, gently at first, more intensely the longer they were in contact with each other. Then he let go, or did she let go first?

"Go" she said licking her lips, savoring the moment.

"Don't forget to call me."

"I won't" he promised.

Doing as she said, he walked away from her. His hand was still touching her arm, moving up to her hand, the tips of her fingers until he finally let go of her. When he closed the front door of their apartment inside the massive vertical city he felt like a part of him was still inside. The part that resembled his love for her. Now he was an officer in the Republican fleet ready to do what needs to be done.

A slight tingling went through her hand as the tips of her fingers touched the blade of the sharp-edged Japanese ceremonial sword in front of her. She was familiar with the weapon. It was of the same type as the one she used to cut her hair with after the death of her grandmother Miwa. Ever since then, she wore her hair short. The home of Cale and Akima carried more such traces of her descent. A certain Asian influence could be found in several places. She wanted it that way and Cale had agreed. Not that he had much choice on that one. But this sword was special to her. She could almost feel the connection to her grandmother whenever she touched it. During the burying ritual of Kero's grandmother Myrzah two weeks ago, her thoughts had been with _her_ grandmother at the same time. It had been difficult for her to except, nonetheless she pulled through. But a special place in her heart would always be reserved for Miwa.

"What's it with that sword anyway?" Cale who was suddenly standing behind her said, disturbing her thoughts.

"_I hate it when he does that"_ she thought agitated.

But now that she came to think of it, she never really told him what it meant to her. He couldn't know.

"It's a _Wakazashi_ blade" she said, a little more curt then she meant.

"A Waka-who?" Cale asked, adding the finishing touch to his uniform.

"_Wa-ka-za-shi_" Akima repeated, turning around to face her husband.

A shiny but subtle wedding ring adorned her ring finger. Only a week after Stith and Kero married, the Mantrin couple was invited to their wedding too of course. Kero was fascinated by human wedding rituals and had closely followed every tiny little aspect of their bonding. There were of course a lot of things he didn't understand and she had spent half the night explaining to him about it. He was sweet, she had to admit that. Completely different from the woman he married as she knew but that hadn't been a problem at all.

"Sounds funny" Cale replied.

"Silly" she said, placing a soft kiss on his cheek.

Planning their honeymoon more than a week after their wedding really wasn't the best idea they ever had. Cale wanted to take it easy for a change and have a little break but now duty called and a honeymoon aboard the _Valkyrie_ wasn't exactly the thing she hoped for. _I guess it'll have to wait._

"What a bummer" Cale grumbled.

"I thought we'd have another week but I guess they're just too eager to get us back into space again."

He sighed.

"And I wanted to use the extra time to look if I could find Tek. Jeez Akima, I've gotta find him and Iji."

"You will Cale and I'll help you find him" she assured him.

"You have to know, I've got someone to find too."

Cale frowned.

"Who can that be?"

"Ishaq Bourain. He was my friend on New Marrakech."

"Oh" Cale replied indifferently.

"His father Mohammed was involved with the Titan project as well. Cultural preservation to be precise. With a little luck he's already somewhere here on New Earth."

Ishaq had stayed with the Qu'utians on Qu'ut Minor to preserve all of Earth's cultural treasures in their safe underground cities where no one could find them. Now that the human race had a homeworld again those cultural artifacts could be brought back to where they belonged. Cale threw his arms in the air in annoyance.

"Well how can we find them if Command doesn't even allow us to start looking by keeping us occupied with other things? Any idea what we're up to anyway?"

"If you'd listened to the Captain you would know that we're going on a mission to rescue the citizens of the alliance from the slave cages. The place where we are assigned to is kinda familiar."

"Not to you of course" she added after some consideration.

"What do you mean?"

"The Soros trade ship, that's our destination. Remember that I was jettisoned from the Drej mothership after they realized they longer needed me? The pod drifted for some time until it eventually got picked up by slavers from, you guessed it, the Soros."

Her face twisted into something that resembled disgust. Considering the species running the whole thing that wasn't such a surprise.

"Those Gvort. Their business is just as filthy and slimy as themselves."

"Yeah, I can only imagine" Cale agreed.

"But shortly after I arrived Korso rescued me, just in the nick of time. After that, it was payback time."

She added a sneaky grin. One good shot had disabled the entire security system aboard the slave ship. With the force fields down, slaves were running all over the place, the guards no longer able to keep the hordes, formed by instinct and anger under control. If they could just do that again but this time manage to capture the ones responsible, the ones running the thing, they could put an end to it once and for all. That was their goal.

"Ready?" Akima asked, pulling a black-and-purple lock out of her field of vision.

"Ready" Cale confirmed with a nod. Akima carefully closed off their biometrically secured apartment. She had the feeling they wouldn't see it for a while.

"Status Gune?" Korso informed.

The Captain of the now almost legendary ship, the RSS _Valkyrie_ was gazing into the distance from the window of his apartment. He admired the view he had from here. The sun almost at its highest point, casting its shine on a beautiful world, most of it still untouched by anything but nature itself. From this height, from where he had the feeling he could see miles and miles into the distance the view was breathtaking. New Earth was similar to the original in many ways but in terms of beauty it would certainly score a few extra points. No artificial structures disrupting the view, no endless gray veils of smog, hanging in and above the huge cities covering most of the surface of the old Earth. It would almost make one believe they didn't have a planet similar to that image before.

"Gune has been told that the ship is ready to go Captain" the alien squawked.

"I have already plotted a course according to Captain's instructions and I'm ready to assist in any way possible."

"Good work Gune, keep it up" Korso praised after which the alien laughed.

He was just as eager as him to travel to the stars again. A new adventure awaited him and his crew. But he was expecting his senior staff here with him first. The others were already aboard the ship making sure the systems were running at optimum efficiency. He was just about to make a call when someone banged on the door with considerable force. A female voice, definitely alien and not particularly friendly sounded from behind it.

"Captain Korso?" the unknown woman grumbled.

"_That must be that special Mantrin soldier_" he thought.

With one of them with him he had the feeling he could take on anything. Signaling the alien to come in he was presently surprised. The Mantrinesse, a Sogowan, was equally sized to Stith, wore an EAF uniform and smiled when her copper-colored eyes found his.

"I already thought that name had a familiar touch to it" she said with a laugh that sounded more like a bark.

"Trezka?" Korso brought out in a astonishment.

He and some of his crew had met her on the EAF training compound not so long ago. A warrior like most Mantrins, Trezka was part of the elite group of soldiers of the Mantrin Imperial Guard. He had met her only briefly but still remembered who she was. Trezka clicked her tongue.

"Still remembered my name as I did yours" she said stepping up to him.

"Being assigned to your ship was a mere coincidence but I volunteered when my superiors said they needed a few soldiers for an infiltration mission, especially when I heard what it was all about."

She shook her head, her ears flapping around lazily. Then her eyes found Korso's again, this time sparkling with anger.

"Suckers. Selling other people's bodies for hard cash. I always had a bad taste for slavers and now that I had a chance to cause them harm I took it."

She saluted.

"Trezka from the House of Ketrea reporting sir!" she barked.

"As you are soldier!" Korso replied, a little overwhelmed by the Mantrinesse's sudden formality.

"We're ready to go as soon as the rest of my crew gets here."

"We're already here" Brian said when he entered with Cale and Akima.

"Good afternoon Captain" Cale said.

Recognition flashed through his mind when his eyes caught Trezka. She was one of Prince Rajah's bunkmates back at the EAF base and a really tough girl.

"Thank you Cale. Akima. Brian" Korso greeted them.

"I believe you all remember Trezka. She's here to help us accomplish our mission and I personally don't think she'd fail to do that."

"Pleasure" Trezka added with a snort.

"Shall we get going? The sooner this is over the better. No offense but your ships always seem to be giving us Mantrins a backache. I'm not exactly eager to find out if the rumors are true."

Being the first to exit Korso's apartment to find a more suitable beam out location she laid the way for the others.

"I don't know about you but she's kinda cranky" Cale whispered to his wife.

"No that's probably just who she is" Akima replied.

It almost looked like they'd got themselves a replacement for Stith. There was a certain resemblance. Not just because they were the same race but she also got Stith's attitude. Working with a Mantrin crewmember would prove quite a challenge for the Captain's put in charge of these individual missions but not Korso. Instead he enjoyed the familiar company.

The moment he stepped on the command deck of his ship he felt right at home. Climbing the metal stairs to the main steering deck he assumed position behind the Captain's chair. For a moment he stared into the blackness of space. The massive bubble-shaped main window was the only thing separating his fragile human body from the cold and darkness of the vacuum. Then he turned to face his crew and smirked.

"Is everything set?"

"All systems are green across the board Captain. Ion matrix is stable and running at optimum efficiency. We just need to send the signal" his First Officer reported.

He noticed Trezka still standing on the lower level staring up with her arms crossed.

"Am I supposed to flutter around a bit until we get there?" she asked.

Before he could react she apologized.

"I'm sorry sir! That was out of line. I'm ready for your orders Captain."

Korso grinned. He somehow liked it when she did that. It reminded him of his former weapons expert.

"You think you're a tough girl eh?"

"Sir!"

"Well you can give us a hand. Man that console soldier" he said, pointing at one of the few empty stations along the port wall.

It didn't have any seats but considering her unusual leg configuration that shouldn't be much of a problem.

"Aye sir!"

"All right. Ensign Cho, signal the quartermaster that we're heading out. Release the docking clamps. Akima, take us out, one quarter."

"Yes sir, one quarter."

When her fingers touched the controls of the ship she piloted for some time now she could almost feel the connection between pilot and ship being made. It was almost like meeting an old friend speaking a language only she could understand. The panels lighted up, the controls connected to a massive amount of power that would only be released under her command and by the touch of a fingertip. The bubble-shaped window turned opaque and the face of one of the quartermasters of New Earth's space docks appeared on screen.

"_Valkyrie_ this is space station _Atlas_. You are clear to proceed. Safe voyage and good luck with your mission."

"Thank you sir, _Valkyrie_ out."

After given the signal by her Captain and confirmation from Cale that the ion matrix was stable and the ship ready for warp, Akima moved up the slider controls, directing power to the six powerful thrust engines. Slowly but steadily, the Republican vessel moved out of her holding area. The area in front of them was clear so she gradually increased speed until they were out of the dry dock area.

"Take us into warp" said Korso who sat down in the Captain's chair on the upper deck.

For a brief second there was the sound of charging warp coils. Then the ship jumped to velocities far faster than the speed of light taking its crew to their new mission.

Indeed, being a warrior doesn't come naturally to most people. You become a warrior by hard training, setting aside your emotions and kill because you have been told to. And sometimes even then, it is possible to fail. But what if your species is incapable of inflicting harm? If you have to be transformed into a warrior, at a terrible price, to be able to take a life and defend the species? Deep inside the Iridana nebula a group of alien beings from another universe, from another realm have paid that price. No longer able to socialize with the rest of their society. Their connection to the force that kept them under control severed. An unimaginable desire to fight and destroy. Being a Seraphim warrior, Otho-Ivotha couldn't remember the last time he was connected to _The Way_. The transformation into a warrior was voluntarily but the price too high to pay for anyone of his species. A War Leader was supposed to keep him and his fellow warriors calm and focused in between battles using his strong connection to _The Way_ but with the absence of such a leader the only thing he had was his immense desire to fight. Having lost his connection to _The Way_ some time ago, he was now just an emotionless killing machine only capable of carrying out the only purpose he was created for: To kill.

"When are we going to attack?" he hissed.

"Our scouts have detected numerous planets in this galaxy we can conquer with ease! They don't stand a chance against us! Our technology is far superior."

"Silence!" his war brother named Zekh-Asovash spat back.

Together with their other brother, Asath-Yvanu they formed the head of three. Ever since they left homeworld as outcasts, never to return, there had been a lot difficulty in choosing someone to lead the group of rogue warriors. There had been fighting, killing but being mentally stronger the three had managed to become the ones to lead the rest of them in their quest for revenge. Asath-Yvanu had taught himself a special meditation technique to keep control over his extremely violent emotions to prevent himself from slipping into a killing frenzy. He was teaching this technique to everyone around their little community to keep them from losing their senses. It didn't even come close to _The Way_ but at least they didn't turn on each other if they entered a state of meditation for at least two hours every twelve.

They were now together inside the main temple of the large complex inside the nebula for the daily meeting to discuss what to do next. But the plans were already there. To conquer and seek revenge for the ones who were responsible for slaughtering their brothers and sisters on Seraphim II and anyone they were allied with. The humans were going to pay for what they'd done. Zekh-Asovash's angry green eyes flashed in Otho-Ivotha's direction. The meditation caused them to regain some of their emotions but the absence of _The Way_ resulted in a very bad temper and could cause them to lose control spontaneously.

"Our technology is superior but we're gonna need more than that to take on a whole quadrant!"

"We need to have a few things ready before we can make our first move" Asath-Yvanu said.

He was the most calm of the three as he developed the meditation technique. His orange-colored eyes almost blended with his skin in the same color but radiated less aggressiveness then those of the other two.

"What's the status on those quantum gate-ships Otho-Ivotha?"

"We can begin testing on the first one whenever you like. Construction on a second one will be finished soon now."

An evil grin appeared on Asath-Yvanu's lizard-like face. His plan was infallible. Using a mobile quantum gate to move ships and large fleets instantaneously over large distances was an unmatched strategy. They could use the gate to land a dropship containing an Armored Command Unit on any enemy occupied planet. The Commander could then quickly build-up forces under the cover of shields and jammer array's in the enemy's backyard. The planet would be quickly and efficiently conquered without much effort. Asath-Yvanu let his eyes fall on Zekh-Asovash, whose bright green eyes flickered with barely controllable anger. His dark, red-brownish skin strengthened the effect.

"What about the ACU's?"

Those were key in his plan. A planet would fall quickly under the might of the Armored Command Unit, piloted by an experienced Commander. An army of thousands of robotic tanks, mechs, ships and airplanes would quickly eliminate any resistance. And all of that under the command of a single flesh-and-blood Commander. In essence, one person could control an entire world.

"Almost!" his brother spat.

"Finding the necessary materials in this gascloud is the biggest challenge. Our mass convertors are already running past their maximum but at this rate the first unit will be ready in a few days. Then we shall have our revenge."

He added a malevolent laugh that would have given Asath-Yvanu the creeps if he was still capable of feeling anything other than his own rage. That was his second plan. To find a way to regain their emotions, to reestablish their connection to _The Way_. If there was a way to regain what they'd lost, he would be the one to find it.


	6. Chapter 3 Trouble on the Soros

**Trouble on the Soros**

Cruising at high warp towards the last known location of the Soros slave ship, the _Valkyrie_ was set on autopilot and her Captain was leading the newest addition to his crew to a temporary residence. He opened the automatic door to Stith's old quarters which hadn't been used ever since she left. Since it was bigger than the other quarters maybe it was a nice option to have Cale and Akima move there since they were a married couple and possibly needed the extra space. Trezka who stepped in first, carefully inspected the room. She snorted, as if she could smell something wasn't right.

"This is Stith's old room. Since she is unfortunately, no longer part of my crew I don't think she would mind you using it."

"The Princess?" Trezka asked with one ear flattened.

It sounded like she couldn't believe that Stith, now the mate of Prince Kero was once just a crewmember on some human vessel.

"The Princess, yes." Korso repeated slowly.

Trezka shrugged.

"Thanks but I'm not planning on staying that long. It's in an' out. Nothing more nothing less. I see you've moved my stuff up here."

"We kinda use this room now for the more sensitive equipment we need to take with us for missions and which we can't just stuff into the cargo hold."

Trezka nodded.

"I see. Thanks anyway. Let's go to the briefing."

The Mantrinesse walked past him without even looking. Now that things were getting serious, she really was a lot tougher than when he met her at the EAF compound. Straight down to business and ready to do her part of the job. He liked that so he closed the door and followed her down the hallway to the mess without further comment on the matter. The larger Republican cruisers offered a briefing room for missions like these but they were just gonna use the mess hall. It now had a few extra's that would make things easier but in fifteen years he had never done it any other way.

"I thought you had a Mantrin crewmember aboard some time" Trezka grumbled.

She had to crouch low on her legs through the corridor which connected the forward section of the ship with the drive section. Korso chuckled.

"Stith always complained about the low corridors too. I guess this ship just wasn't built for members of your species."

Another low growl escaped Trezka's beak. When they entered the mess hall the rest of his crew was already waiting for him to join them. The Soros was only half an hour away and Gune had already spotted the Gvort slave trading vessel on long range sensors, exactly where they expected it to be.

"All right. We know what our goal is, now we just need to get there" Korso started the discussion, picking the nearest of the few empty chairs around the metal table.

The surface reflected his own bearded face back at him. The reflection of a middle-aged man but an experienced Captain. They were gonna save those people. They could do it.

"Well what are we up against? Can we expect any help from Command?" Cale asked.

"We don't know much" Korso explained.

"I've already told you that a Republican cruiser is following us from close behind. The reason that they don't send in a ship like that is that the Gvort will try and make a run for it the moment they detect it on sensors. Slavers are not exactly fond of the authorities as you might understand. Before we left, the transponder signal of the _Valkyrie_ has been altered so that we appear on their sensors as a pirate vessel willing to do business aboard. But we'll have to use the shuttle to enter. They couldn't exactly do much on her exterior and we can't fool their eyes. We've gotta stay out of range or they will know that we're after them."

"Okay and once we're inside, what then?" Akima asked.

"It's just us against a couple of dozen prison guards."

"You're not gonna get inside" Trezka interrupted.

She had her arms crossed and talked like she had a plan.

"She's right" Korso added.

"Before we're allowed to dock, we'll be contacted by the foreman. He will ask about our business. We need a reason before we're allowed to set foot in their dirty business. So that means either buying or selling."

"They don't want anyone peeking around" Trezka said.

She came standing next to the table and immediately had the attention of the entire crew when she spoke. It just had something to do with her sheer size, intimidating appearance and low-pitched voice. But we can't afford to make any mistakes. Once they figure out it's the slaves we're after they might kill everyone before we even get to them."

She placed her massive clawed hands on the metal surface of the table and bowed over to all of them.

"We need to work from the inside. But before we can do that you're gonna need a bait. I'm going to be your bait. You're going to sell _me_."

Shipping lines in between worlds of the Republic were now busier than ever. Transports, cargo ships, personal yachts and military vessels used these safe routes through the depths of space to cover large distances more quickly. Little manual navigation was required for those who traveled via these routes as they avoided all dangers and potential risks lying out there in space. Aboard one of such transports, a civilian liner, the former Captain of the Akrennian battlecruiser _Tsun'rhaa_ and her mate-to-be just woke up from a little nap. Even while traveling at speeds far faster than the speed of light, traveling the distance between inhabited worlds still took time.

"You know what Preed?" Ayko said, with an arm around the other Akrennian's shoulder.

"These two weeks I've had fun. I mean really had fun. Those humans certainly got a little paradise of a planet out there."

"They sure do my dear" Preed replied with his slick oily voice.

Staring out of the window to the endless sea of stars shooting by at warp, the thoughts of the former First Mate of the _Valkyrie_ were in a whole different place. Exactly the place where they were heading for and the place he thought he would never see again in his whole life. The last thing he remembered was the beautiful red-and-orange sky just before sundown of the planet's twin suns. When he had turned his head from the sight to take that transport off to nowhere he never thought he would ever see that sight again. And now he was going back to it. He _could_ go back to it. Not as the center of a scandal that happened a long time ago but as the soon-to-be mate of a beautiful Admiral's daughter. The only thing he was a little anxious about was her father. Would he accept him into their clan? Ayko's family had power and influence and he had probably expected his daughter to come home with someone with a comparable social status. He didn't exactly have much to offer, except his love for her of course but somehow he didn't think her father would find that enough. It was so unfair. It wasn't even his fault. His eyes went down to the left, to the Krach'thaa on Ayko's lap which he got to know as Ayko's pet Jick'chii. The black-skinned dragon-like animal noticed that they were awake and screeched loudly and fluttered her semi-transparent wings.

"Hey! Keep that thing quiet!" one of the aliens in the front of the transport ship said.

"Oh shut up!" Ayko bit back, revealing her razor-sharp fangs.

"Shhh, it's all right" she said to calm Jick'chii down.

The Krach'thaa gave a soft complaining howl when she stroked the back of the creature's head all the way down to the long neck. Jick'chii rested her head on her clawed forepaws and squealed sadly.

"Oh, she hates cramped spaces" Ayko said, placing a soft kiss on her pet's head.

"And they wanted to stuff her in the cargo hold. Can you believe that?"

Preed didn't speak a word. Not just because he didn't like Krach'thaa's in the least but because his thoughts were just not there for a moment. Ayko flattened an ear.

"Preed, what's wrong? You hardly said a word since we boarded this ship."

Preed stared back in the frowned face of his beloved one. The question was redundant. He knew she could probably read his face like an open book. He sighed.

"I haven't said foot on that planet in more than ten years. A lot must have changed in that time."

Ayko simply shrugged.

"I don't understand what you're worried about. We both know what happened in your youth but I don't think anyone will remember it."

She chuckled and leaned back against his shoulder. A soft cry escaped his mouth when she suddenly turned her head and tried to bite him. Taking part in her little game he returned the favor.

"When this is over and you are officially my mate, we'll laugh about this" she said with her teeth still in his flesh.

A trickle of blood slowly rolled down his shoulder when she broke off.

"Oww, look what I've done now. I should be more careful" she said with smirk.

She licked her lips, tasting a touch of iron on her tongue.

"Did that hurt?" she asked with an almost girly voice.

Preed let out a laugh.

"It's nothing compared to the pain you will cause if you ever decide to leave me."

Ayko laughed.

"You're not very good at being romantic."

"But that's okay" she added.

A yawn escaped her mouth as she snuggled up to him.

"I think I'm gonna close my eyes again. It'll still take an hour or four before we get there."

With his girlfriend in his arms Preed allowed himself to close his eyes too again. He had a few terrific days behind him, most of them without much sleep. Days on Akrennia were longer and the nights slightly shorter than what he was used to at the moment so he decided to spend these kind of useless hours to make up for it. As his eyelids fell shut, the dreamless sleep came out of nothing, enclosing him like a warm comfortable blanket as the ship continued on its way to the Akrennian homeworld.

"Sell _you_?" Ensign Yani Cho exclaimed.

It was a radical plan but Trezka sounded so confident that there weren't any doubts about it. The tough female soldier would put her life at risk without hesitation if the mission demanded it.

"Can't we just pretend to be buyers?" Brian suggested.

At least that didn't involve risking anyone's life to get what they wanted.

"And then what?" Trezka said crossing her large muscular arms.

"We're gonna buy everyone out one by one? I don't think your Republic will fund an action like that."

She shook her head.

"No, I'm going in. I've been trained to do things like this. Besides, I've got a few things that might help."

"Well enlighten us Trezka, it seems you've got your plan all worked out" Korso said, giving up trying to change her mind.

Trezka smirked but quickly told them about her plan.

"All right, Captain, that cruiser you told me about is here to pick up the slaves once we rescued them right?"

"And take over the Gvort running the whole operation so we can put _them_ behind bars for a change" Korso replied.

The thought alone of putting those filthy, slimy creatures behind the other side of the forcefield was quite appealing to say the least.

"Okay, then that's what we're going to do. You're going to pretend that you're sellers and you're going to sell _me_. Once we get on board they're gonna take me to the slave cages to be sold. There's an auction every two hours if I'm correct. You only have the time until the next auction. Once they've sold me to the highest bidder and you received your money, if you even get it, I'm not surprised if you don't, you'll be asked to leave."

An evil smile crept along her face.

"But we're not going to wait that long."

She showed them the back of her large clawed hand. Everyone bowed closer to her to see what she wanted to show them.

"I've got a little forcefield disruptor implanted under my skin. A double tap on my wrist will deactivate any forcefield within a meter's range. When I'm free I will just knock out whatever guards stationed in the prison block and open every door I can find."

She laughed.

"When the slaves are loose and tearing up the whole place you guys come in and capture the foreman. Put a gun to his head and then we'll see if he tries to hurt anyone."

It was silent for a moment. The humans and even Gune just stared at her, motionless, without speaking a word. It was Lieutenant Reese who let out a deep sigh and was the first to speak.

"Well if you ask me, it seems like you've got it all thought out but there're a lot of things that could go wrong."

Trezka narrowed her eyes to slits, a little agitated about the first reaction of her human companions. If this were a Mantrin vessel they would get a few rescue teams aboard and blow the whole place to smithereens before they could even react. She wanted action not spend hours thinking about how to avoid every single risk.

"Hey, if you've got a better idea let's hear it but otherwise, just shut up."

Derek immediately held his hands up in defense, not expecting such a violent response.

"Wow, wow, wow, no need for the animosity. I'm on your side. It's just… we're taking an awfully big risk here. If you get into trouble we can't do anything to help you. We were your former 'masters' remember?" Trezka replied a little snappish.

"Huh, I'm an elite warrior. I don't screw up. There's no way we can avoid losing a few of the people we're gonna rescue in the process."

"I think it's best to stick to Trezka's plan" Korso ended the discussion.

This was already taking too long and the ship was going to drop out of warp any minute now.

"_At least that's one person thinking straight" _Trezka thought.

"Ensign Cho, prep the shuttle for launch. Everyone else, grab your gear and get ready."

"Sir there's just one more problem" Akima interrupted.

"And that is?"

Akima turned her attention to the Mantrin.

"You're far too tough. They'll never fall for it."

"That's why I've brought some electro-manacles with me" Trezka simply replied.

They couldn't believe their ears. The devices she talked about were a way of keeping the prisoner under control by causing extreme pain by the press of a button. The manacles bonding her wrists together and the band around her neck would charge up with a powerful burst of electrifying energy that instantly caused severe pain and could be lethal if used too long. She would be putting herself in considerable danger.

"But I have to look like a slave too" she added turning around to face the human crew.

She pointed at her left cheek.

"Hit me."

"What?" Akima asked in disbelief.

The others couldn't believe their ears either. The alien woman was really going to make this look as convincing as possible.

"You've got a problem with your hearing? I said hit me."

"But, but I don't want to" she replied.

"We're not going to hurt you, right?"

The others nodded slowly but Trezka was growing impatient.

"Look this is not going to work. I have to look like a slave too or they'll see right through it. I've been trained to take a beating. I can handle it."

They still hesitated. She sighed deeply.

"I promise I won't hit back."

"All right" Akima said with a shaky voice.

She stepped up to the fearsome alien woman with a shaking fist. She didn't want to hurt Trezka but the Mantrin was determined to make this work, for the sake of all the people trapped in the slave cages aboard that ship.

"Show me what you've got!" Trezka roared.

Akima still held back when her fist made contact with Trezka's face. It probably didn't even hurt, judging by the look on the Mantrin's face.

"I said _hit_ me, not tickle me."

"Perhaps it's best if we handle this" Korso said stepping up to the Mantrin with his First Officer.

Both of them cracked their knuckles. Akima turned her face away from the whole scene. She felt the hand of Cale on her shoulder as her Captain and his First put their fists to work. She heard Trezka growl in pain when she walked out of the room with the rest of the crew. It was not something she enjoyed looking at but Trezka had insisted.

A few minutes later Korso entered his quarters. The lights automatically turned on and he headed straight for the small bathroom. He stuck his hands under the tap, warm water immediately starting to flow over his hands watching it turn red. He shook his head. His own knuckles hurt too but it was less than nothing to what Trezka was putting herself through at the moment. She insisted that they kept hitting her until the blood trickled from her beak and she almost collapsed. Panting and groaning in pain she had fallen on her first set of knees when she finally gave the sign to stop. After washing the blood from his hands he dove in his closet. Getting rid of the uniform he traded it for a casual shirt and the brown leather jacket he had always worn when he was still a mercenary. It somehow felt good to put it on again. That jacket had always been sort of a status symbol to him. No matter which planet they visited, they would immediately recognize him as the Captain of the ship. Checking his holsters, and wristcom. he left and headed straight for the shuttle bay. Yani had prepped the shuttle for launch and she would stay on the ship together with Gune and mister Reese in case a few unexpected problems popped up. The Soros was also a place where pirate vessels occasionally docked to do some mean business so if the _Valkyrie_ did run into any trouble they would make short work of it.

Heading down below decks to the cargo-and-shuttle bay, the single shuttle of a new type they carried aboard was ready to feel the vacuum and he saw Akima behind the streamlined front window making the final checks. He was the last to enter and when he did he was met by a horrible sight. A mistreated Trezka now wearing tatters was sitting in the back. She was wearing manacles around her wrists and a band around her neck connected to an isolated chain, the end of it in Brian's hand. Blood caked to her brown skin, her left eye had turned slightly black and a dried-up trail of blood ran down her beak. When she looked at him she still managed to produce a grin.

"Are you guys ready? Trezka?"

Trezka laughed softly.

"Normally I'd say: Ready to rumble. But it kinda hurts you know."

"Ready to fly on your command Captain" Akima replied taking the shuttle's helm.

Cale had taken the co-pilot's seat and Korso took place in one of the backseats next to his First Officer.

"Do you think you can do this?" Korso asked with a little concern in his voice.

Trezka noticed but assured him that she was trained to withstand this and worse. Tapping a button on the console in front of him Cale opened a channel to the bridge.

"Gune? Would you be so kind to open the bay doors for us?"

"Of course, of course" the alien squawked.

The hissing of air pumps could vaguely be heard through the thick metal bulkheads as pressure inside the bay was lowered to almost nothing. Shortly after that the large bay doors in the ship's belly opened to allow Akima access to the outside. Hitting the thrusters she brought the ship down vertically and activated the ion propulsion systems as soon as she saw clear space in front of her.

"All right keep her safe. We'll be back before you know it. Korso out."

With the _Valkyrie_ remaining at a safe distance from the slave ship while trying to stay in communication range, Akima plotted a course to intercept the vessel. As soon as they captured the foreman and forced him to hand over the slaves they would call in the _Valkyrie_ and the Republican cruiser remaining at a safe distance. The cruiser would take over the slaves and bring them to New Earth. It didn't take long before the blocky vessel entered visual range. It was large and clunky and she clearly remembered the last time she was aboard. About to be sold to the highest bidder. Lucky for her, the buyers didn't count on a slave who fought back. When her Captain arrived, she was the only one in her cell still standing. But to go back to that hideous place again?

"_Give me a break"_ she thought.

"You sure these things work?" Brian said pointing at the manacles around Trezka's wrists with the little remote in his hand.

"Wanna try? Press the button" the Mantrin challenged him.

Doing as she instructed he did. The powerful electrifying energy inside the manacles and neckband was unleashed instantly. Trezka knew how it felt as she was trained to withstand this kind of pain. The feeling of a million hot glowing needles piercing her one all sides shooting through her entire body. She let out a loud roar that ended in low growling when Brian let go of the button.

"I'd say it works" she panted.

"Stop it! Haven't you done enough damage already?" Akima shouted angrily.

She couldn't take it when people suffered. This galaxy knew so much suffering already. Wasn't it enough for one time? It had been that way as long as she remembered what pain, grief and suffering meant. Each time someone around her was in pain, she felt pain too. Each time someone grieved, she was stricken by feelings of grief too. But she guessed there were of course people who didn't understand that. Trezka simply shrugged. She was of course a Mantrin and a tough one too but unnecessary suffering was something she couldn't allow. But the beeping of the com. dragged her immediate attention before the others had a chance to react. The Soros was hailing the unknown shuttlecraft coming in off the starboard bow. Korso stood up and came standing next to her and instructed to answer on audio only. When she tapped the button to receive the incoming transmission, the malicious voice of a creature that could only be a Gvort sounded over the com. channel filled with a lot of static and background noise. The noise cleared up a bit after the Gvort shouted at someone to do something about the quality of the transmission.

"This is the trading vessel Soros to unidentified ship. What business do you have with us?"

"_Trading vessel. Yeah right"_ Akima thought.

The juiciest deals here are made over the lives of others. She _hated_ the Gvort.

"This is Captain Joseph Korso of the _Valkyrie_. We're here to sell. We're in need of money and we've got a slave here that will just do the trick."

He heard some evil laughter coming from the other side but the slimy alien was not yet willing to let them come aboard.

"Let me see your face first."

That was not entirely unexpected but he had hoped he could avoid that. But maybe it was better to let them know what they were dealing with now that they were still on the safe side. When Cale opened a video channel the ugly face of the toad-like alien appeared on one of the monitors. The Gvort were a malignant reptilian species with no respect for life of any kind. The creature displayed a vicious grin that turned into shock when he realized what he was dealing with.

"Humans! This is a trick! Your kind is not welcome here. Go back to your Republic and leave us alone."

Korso was impressed by the sudden hostile response but didn't give up. Instead he started to play a little game.

"Do you, seriously think that I want to have anything to do with that ridiculous alliance thing? Do you think that all humans are brave little peace activists trying to make friends with everyone we come across?"

He had the alien's attention again. The Gvort was a little overwhelmed by his reaction.

"Well, I assumed…"

"Assumed what?" Korso bit back.

"Listen to me you disgusting little piece of crap. I've got a heavily armed raider vessel sitting out there that needs fuel and supplies. Now I've heard that your ship is one of the best places I can get those things for the best prices but if that's not the case I can just as well use that flying piece of junk for target practice."

The toad-like alien swallowed and his slimy green skin looked more moist than normal.

"I… Of course Captain" he brought out.

"You're welcome to dock. With regard to your slave, the next auction will be in about an hour. A guard will take care of your… merchandise until it is sold. Have a pleasant stay."

The alien quickly ended the transmission but Korso wiped the figurative sweat off his forehead too. That brief video contact almost blew it but due to his quick improvisation they at least managed to get on board. Akima was already steering the shuttle into the direction of the docking area and looked at her Captain with a frown.

"Raider vessel?" she asked.

"So now you've turned us into pirates?"

"Well, I had to improvise" Korso replied.

"Better to intimidate than raise more questions."

Akima chuckled.

"Well there's no turning back now."

"There was no turning back ever" Trezka's voice replied from the back of the shuttle.

She shook her hands with the manacles around her wrists.

"And try not to use this device too often or you won't have anything left to sell."

Slowly bringing the shuttle closer to the docking area Akima spotted more ships waiting to be assigned to a docking port but it looked like it was rather crowded today. Normally, docking a ship would be piece of cake as the computer would do everything for the pilot to ensure a safe approach but she figured the Soros' dockworkers were on holiday cause she had rarely seen docking ports in worse conditions than these. She was genuinely surprised when the airlock seal gave her the green light and they could get off safely without the risk of being sucked into space.

"Keep her on standby" Korso ordered.

"I want a quick getaway in case things turn a little too hot. Everyone ready?"

"Ready sir, but I'm still a little worried about Trezka here."

The injured Mantrinesse rose to her legs, her eyes locking on the human who was genuinely concerned about her well-being.

"Don't worry. I can handle _this _and more."

"Okay let's go" Korso said, stepping out first.

Staying close to his Captain on the way in, Cale figured that he and Brian where the only two people unfamiliar with places like these. Korso had been before, disguised as a slave to rescue Akima from the claws of these Gvort and even Trezka seemed to have experience with slave traders. But as soon as his boots made contact with the filthy, slightly sticky deckplating of the Soros he'd rather taken a step back. The place was dimly lit, the light closest to them flickered irregularly. The slave ship had more or less fallen into a state of disrepair. Loose wires and the hissing of leak conduits were just a few of the ominous sounds that reached his ears. A sour stench hung in the air, mixed with the fear of thousands of slaves that had spend whole years of their lives in cages. He heard the sound of a group of people from the corridor directly in front of them. He and Brian had each taken a chain connected to the band around Trezka's neck and now followed their Captain out of the docking area. Cale kept looking over his shoulder. He had the vague feeling that they were being watched. The sound of lots of people went louder with each step. Wondering what they would run into when they reached the end of the corridor he squeezed into the metal chain. His heartbeat was on the rise. He was aware of the fact that if something went wrong, they were going to be sold as well.

When they finally reached the end of the corridor and stepped out into the light they found themselves standing in a better lit lobby where visitors had to check in first. In the next room he could already see the big marketplace where you could buy all sorts of stuff, most of it illegal in practically the entire quadrant. But the highlight of the whole thing was of course the auction that would take place in the middle of the masses of people walking around. Large screens used for viewing the bids were hanging over a large plateau where the slaves would be brought to, for all the people to see and buy. It was horrible, humiliating and without the slightest respect for life. But the thing that dragged Cale's immediate attention made his heart skip a few beats. The Gvort they had spoken before was standing in front of them flanked by two of his guards. The guards were at least a head taller than the Gvort Cale assumed was the foreman. The person behind this whole operation. He was one of their goals. They had to free the slaves and capture this guy so that they could end this madness.

The slimy toad-like alien stepped up to Korso, an evil grin playing on his thick rubbery lips. There was something about this alien not just Cale but also the others found rather repulsive. Gvort weren't exactly known for winning beauty contests but this creature was probably one of the ugliest examples. Indeed he shared a remarkable resemblance to a thick swollen toad but the Earth animal was actually rather cute in comparison to this reptilian-like monster. His green skin gleamed slimy in the light of the lamps overhead and he smelled.

"Captain. Welcome aboard. Gra'kath is my name. I wanted to meet you in person to make sure you have a pleasant stay."

"_He is already suspicious_" Korso thought.

The alien already didn't trust the whole situation. Apparently humans were not among the most frequent visitors. At least not humans that weren't chained.

"Very considerate of you" Korso replied viciously.

He didn't let himself be intimidated by the two guards.

"You must be the one genius behind such a thriving business like this."

"Well how would you have guessed?" the Gvort replied with a laugh.

In the mean time he was carefully studying the rest of his crew until his yellow frog eyes found what he was looking for.

"Now let me take a look at that slave of yours" he said stepping up to Trezka who had the most scornful look on her face.

She already bared her teeth at him and Korso knew she was trying her best not to send him sailing through the air with a massive kick. But instead of being intimidated the Gvort laughed.

"Ooh, a Mantrin. Well I envy you Captain. That's certainly gonna get you some money. Indeed, and a strong one too."

"You can have her" Korso spat.

"I don't want that overgrown space kangaroo on my ship."

Trezka growled and pulled on her chains. She was gonna make this look as believable as possible.

"I think you're lucky your crew hasn't suffered any injuries Captain. I'd almost say she has you under control."

"Oh really" Korso said, crossing his arms.

He gave his First Officer a signal with a nod. Brian retrieved the little remote from the pocket of his jacket and pressed the button. Trezka roared in pain and fell on one knee. The crackling electrical energy instantly froze every muscle in her body with the feeling of a million needles penetrating her from the inside out. Her roar ended in a low growling as she shot Korso and the Gvort a vicious look.

"Want some more eh?" Korso said malevolently.

"Filthy beast."

"_Cut a little back on the insults please" _Trezka thought.

Korso was sure playing this well but it was the insults that made her angry. The tone of his voice didn't betray that he didn't mean what he said. Or he was just a good actor. In either case, she felt the urge of kicking the guy she was supposed to work with but suppressed it. They were here to free those people.

"Very impressive" the Gvort praised.

"You certainly must have a vicious reputation Captain."

"Well our ship doesn't run on talk" Korso said in an attempt to get rid of the Gvort's luring eyes.

"If you wanna be so kind to take her off our hands?"

The Gvort smiled, revealing two rows of broken teeth that hadn't seen any form of dental care in their whole lifetime.

"Of course. Let me arrange some extra security. We don't want anyone to get hurt now do we?"

He signaled one of his guards that disappeared and came back a moment later with some reinforcements. Apparently the Gvort running the Soros had a number of different species employed as guards. Beside their own, there was a Rutani and even a Solbrechtian missing his lower left arm. They were both large, very muscular and Korso doubted that he could take one of them down in a one to one fight. Capturing the foreman was going to be difficult but in the chaos Trezka was about to create by freeing the slaves it could be done. But they had to act quickly as soon as the slaves were loose.

The four guards carefully approached Trezka, on the lookout for her massive overpowered legs. The Mantrin scowled at them, a deep low growling coming from her throat. They connected their own set of chains, manacles and neck band, lucky for Trezka not electrical ones and freed her from the original set. They don't needed the extras, they had the guns to force her to walk and do as they said.

"Take good care of her till the auction. For I will hold you personally responsible for every credit we happen to miss because of bad treatment."

The Gvort made a noise that sounded like a croak as well as a laugh. But he told him that because this was his first visit he would take extra care to make sure he got his money.

"Well as I said before, have a pleasant stay Captain."

The ugly creature made a slight bow before he disappeared with the group of four armed guards taking Trezka with them. The next stop for her were the slave cages.

"I hope she doesn't get herself killed in the process of helping the other slaves" Akima said, keeping the Mantrin in her eyesight as long as possible until she disappeared.

"Don't worry. If she can't do it nobody can" Cale said flinging an arm around her shoulder.

"C'mon. The auction isn't until about forty-five minutes. Let's see if we can catch them on more illegal things" Korso suggested.

He stepped onto the crowded marketplace first with no clear goal and wishing he had at least one more set of eyes to watch his pockets. If there was one thing he learned from his fifteen years as a mercenary it was that on places like these, everyone was a pickpocket.

"Can't we just arrest that guy for smelling bad" Cale chuckled.

"Well unfortunately there's no such rule that tells people to wash themselves at least once a day" Brian replied, trying to ignore all the other unpleasant odors irritating his olfactory organ.

Unfortunately for them, there was also no such rule that told that certain things some species consumed for food had to smell pleasant. Korso wanted to find out where the foreman and his associates where controlling the whole thing from so that they could catch him without much trouble.

In the mean time Trezka was caught in the claws of her captors clenching her teeth in anger and wishing she could just kill them all with a few quick moves. But she was aware that with these chains and those manacles, she would never be able to react quick enough. After all they were the ones holding the guns right now. The manacles were chafing her burned wrists and she had the feelings that the guards were pulling her chains on purpose. She hated this place and she hated the people involved in businesses like these. She would personally tear the Gvort foreman to shreds when she got the chance but that had to wait. Her nose was already picking up the smell from the slave cages. The room was divided into small sections, closed off by forcefields. Injured, diseased and even dying members of several species locked in cages like animals, no, even worse. Some of them had been captive for so long that they'd lost their minds, ramming against the wall until the blood dripped from their fists. The cries of pure misery and the stench of death. Some of them just couldn't take it anymore and let themselves go. The guards roughly pulled her into the direction of an empty cell, the first of one of the few empty blocks. One of them, the Rutani smirked evilly while he removed the band with the chains from her sore neck.

"Get inside" he grumbled.

Trezka stared back at him, as if she was challenging him. She wasn't going to let them intimidate her. But the Rutani grabbed his weapon and rammed the butt of the gun into her stomach.

"I said get inside."

Trezka doubled over and fell on one knee grabbing her stomach. She coughed and spat on the ground in front of the alien. That got her a kick in her ribs until she was grabbed by two of the guards and tossed into her cell on the filthy ground. The unmistakable smell of urine from a dozen different alien races forced its way into her nostrils and made her retch. She looked back at the guards, one of them pressing a button near the door opening. Steel bars dropped down from the ceiling which clanged down on the floor locking her inside. At that moment her hearts skipped a few beats. She ran back towards the door opening her hands around the cold metal bars. She didn't even notice the guard pushing a button on a small remote. The manacles snapped open and clanged on the floor. Her arms were free once again.

"Hey! What the hell is this?" she said, helplessly pulling on the steel door.

One of the guards laughed maliciously.

"Steel bars. To keep you inside. What does it look like? Have you already lost your mind?"

They laughed, all four of them.

"The forcefields of this block are malfunctioning. This will have to do until they're fixed. Don't worry, they'll work just as well."

The guards left, all of them still laughing leaving Trezka behind. She now came to realize that her plan was about to collapse in on itself. Those steel bars were pretty tough things as she had felt for herself. There was no way she could break free now and no way of warning the others that something wasn't going according to plan.

"Shit" she whispered to herself.

She grabbed the manacles that had dropped to the floor and tossed them against the steel bars in frustration with all the strength she could gather. The heavy clang and the loud noise when it hit the floor was less than satisfying. All she could do know was wait. Wait until an opportunity to reclaim her freedom represented itself. She had to get out of here before the auction started. Otherwise she would never know freedom again.


	7. Chapter 4 Grief and Anger

**Grief and Anger**

Treji marched through the forests of Sogowa with firm steps, his squad of seven members following his tail. His group was one of ten send out to look for that crazy scientist Galen and any possible experiments. In the mean time everyone in the EAF knew what he was working on. The entire base was now in a state of heightened alert. Search teams where covering larger patches of ground each day. The Emperor had ordered them to be found and there were rumors that General Mithras himself was going to be suspended from active duty. The Emperor was furious that things like this took place without him knowing about it. The result of Galen's experiments had been devastating; he had seen that for himself and now that crazy old fool was continuing his work secretly, in his own hidden laboratory. And it was his mission to find it.

He and his team had been searching for almost three full days now and hadn't returned to base in the mean time. His training had been more than sufficient to help him and his squad to spend the night in the forest of his own homeworld so they had to make do with what they had. He and the other members of his team were on constant alert, their ears pricked to pick up even the slightest sound, their eyes constantly flashing from their eyepieces to the environment around them. No one knew what Galen was up to. For all he knew he had already released his enhanced children upon the world. If they only had a fraction of the abilities like the ones in Galen's research they found after the incident… He could hardly believe it himself. Psycho-kinetic abilities? How in the name of Kirliya was that possible? Galen had been working on a way to re-engineer his own race and turn them into all-powerful beings.

"_He must be completely mad" _Treji thought.

Even the people he worked with said he was slowly losing it. The Genesis project, as he called it had become an obsession to him. He was even calling the test-subjects his 'children'. Noticing that his thoughts were trailing off he forced himself to snap back to what he was doing. And just in the nick of time. A few moments later his eyepiece's build-in scanner and those of the others went wild when they picked up a signature nearby. A large concentration of metal alloys and an artificial power source.

"Hold it" he ordered, forcing the others to stop.

It was only a few hundred meters away but he was going to report back base first. He brought up his arm and tapped a button on the comlink around his wrist.

"This is team six calling base, Command do you copy?"

A male voice replied within three seconds and a small holographic image was projected in front of his face.

"This is Command, we read you team six."

"Command we've got a positive here. We've got a fix on the location of lab. Sending the coordinates now."

"Coordinates received. You are cleared to handle at your own discretion but proceed with caution. Reinforcements are on the way. Base out."

Treji turned around to face the rest of his team. He had trained together with all of them and knew they were capable of handling most situations but this was going to put their abilities to the test.

"All right. We're going to engage. We have specific orders not to kill unless it's necessary. Weapons on stun. Follow me."

"Yes sir!"

Removing the safety from his weapon, Treji set the powerful pulse rifle on stun. They were going up against children. Very powerful children with abnormal powers but still children. Grenades of three different types including stun and the new sonic ones were clipped on a belt around his waist. If those children were really as powerful as they suspected, they were gonna need those. Moving stealthy, they covered the last few hundred meters to the place designated as the target.

Unaware that the Elite Assault Force had found his hideout, Galen was standing in the room with the eight transparent cocoons. This is where those eight _normal_ children had 'died' and had been reborn as gifted beings. It all happened so fast. When they entered these cocoons they were all just a few months old. In a few weeks they didn't just reach an age of around ten years old, no far beyond that. They had evolved. Evolved into something far beyond any being in the known galaxy. They were the future. The crowning achievement of years of research. Not only did they have amazing mental abilities, they were smarter, stronger and lived nearly twice as long. Their hearing and vision had been improved and their wounds healed faster than normal. They also needed less sleep and their endurance was just astounding, especially when under a great deal of stress. But they had done something to him too. They were meant to be the ultimate warrior, but now they were his children. They still had the mind of a child younger than their current physical age and he was their father who took care of them like they were truly his own and protect them from the dangers of the outside world. He loved them and he was certain that they loved him too. He was so caught up in the whirlwind of thoughts whooshing through his brain that he didn't even notice that his daughter was suddenly next to him until she pulled his arm.

"Dad? I'm done."

He looked aside and spotted a smiling Shezu standing on his left side.

"Have you eaten enough honey? Then it's time to resume your training with your brothers and sisters."

Shezu laughed. She was always looking forward to his teachings. He taught them everything, from math to physics and science. But the thing she was always looking forward to was to train her psycho-kinetic abilities. Making objects hover, bowing bars of metal or play ordinary ballgames with her brothers and sisters using only her mind. Communicating with them telepathically was also one of the lessons she had to learn. And she was good at it too. But the only thing she had a little trouble with, and she wasn't the only one, was controlling her abilities. Her father taught her to concentrate very hard before using them and she tried to do her best. She didn't want to hurt anyone and was always very upset when it happened by accident.

"I'd love to father."

She followed her father to the largest room in the underground complex. It was their living room, their training area and a classroom at the same time. They were all very close to each other. It was actually one big happy family and Shezu felt happy when she and her father stepped inside and were immediately greeted by seven children who were pushing each other away to get to their father and sister first.

"Shezu!" Reylyn who got to her first said.

The Orketh girl wearing a pink shirt embraced her sister tightly.

"Oh Reylyn, I haven't been gone for that long" Shezu said with a laugh patting her on the back.

"Look sister, I finally got it!" Fran cried with joy.

Levitation had always a little difficult for the young Goureg boy, especially with larger or multiple objects but he was now actually holding a toy a few centimeters above the palm of his right clawed hand without leading a life of its own.

"Very good" she praised.

"I doubt it would take long before you can lift _me_ off the ground."

Fran laughed, his left ear playfully twitching. Eyza was the silent type and remained at a small distance but the Sonowan girl smiled when her gaze met hers. She had most of the characteristics from a Sogowan but was just a little different. A couple of spots here and there that couldn't be found in any race's patterns just like her father was just a little different from a regular Orketh. The three other boys, Jicko, Reyan and Pynch greeted her as well. Reyan, a Sogowan, was slightly older and assumed a leadership role more often than the rest of them. He had the tendency to be a little cranky sometimes but most of the time he was okay. Jicko and Pynch were true brothers and from the rare Talocaan race. Jicko was very dark brown and his brother almost black. There was a strong connection between the two brothers and when something was bothering one of them, his brother would know. Shezu could only guess their combined strength. The only one who kept distance and was more looking at his feet than his sister was Syndar. The Sogowan boy was sorry for what he did and he knew he owned his sister an apology but he was afraid to do so. Slowly approaching her, afraid to look her in the eyes he stepped up to her, his brothers and sisters moving aside. After what looked like an eternity he was finally standing in front of his sister and took a deep breath.

"Shezu, sister… I… I'm sorry for what I did. I never should have said such mean things to you."

He tilted his head, his watery eyes now directed at his sister's face.

"I hope you can forgive me for what I did. I'm sorry" he sobbed.

Shezu could sense his sincerity about the matter. He was truly sorry and it didn't take long for Syndar to feel the hand of his sister on his shoulder.

"Apology excepted brother" she said pulling him against her.

She softly stroke his cheek.

"I'm sorry for what I did to your arm."

The six other children surrounded their brother and sister and united in one big family hug. It pleased Galen to see his children like this. They truly cared about each other and he cared for them. But it was time to begin with the lessons and when they all broke free of each other he asked them to form a half circle in the middle of room, like always. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, their tails thumping on the ground in excitement he explained to them what he had planned for today.

"Today, we're going to start with something fun."

The children all cheered. They all wondered what kind of game their father had made up this time. Of course they could just use their talent to scan his mind to figure it out but that would ruin the surprise and their father had told them to respect each other's privacy. No mind scans outside the training hours. Their father unveiled a box standing behind him on the floor containing a collection of differently colored plastic bars, about thirty centimeters in length and one centimeter in diameter. He turned the box upside down in the middle of the circle of children, a few of the bars rolling away from the middle.

"What are we going to do with these father?" Jicko asked.

The Talocaan boy retrieved one of the bars that had rolled in his direction and let it float in mid-air above the palm of his hand. Galen smiled.

"You're going to build a tower… without using your hands. Let's see if you can reach the ceiling."

A few of the children flattened an ear.

"You have to work tightly together in order to make this work. There are not enough bars to reach the top if you just stack them up two by two so you have to find another solution. This is going to test your abilities to the limit as each one of you has to keep control over several of those bars to keep the tower standing. You have to _focus_ on several bars at the same time. I know it is difficult but I know your guys are up to it."

The children looked at each other for a moment.

"Okay, where do we start?" Reylyn said letting two of the bars float in her direction.

"We need to have a base first" Reyan said assuming the role of the leader like he did most of the time.

He pulled two of the bars towards him too. Using his clawed hands to focus the energy of his mind with more precision he moved them into a position that looked like a good one to start with. Galen watched his children with a smile. They were not just playing but working together to solve this particular problem. If even one of them lost control he or her could pull the others with him or her and the whole thing would come down.

Shezu stretched out her hands to concentrate and focus the energy of her mind just like the others. She could feel the texture of the plastic bars, the structure of the molecules it was made of. She manipulated them, forcing them into a position at the base of their tower. Now that each child had two of the bars in place they needed to move in and position a third without losing control over the other two.

"Okay, here we go" Reyan said through clenched teeth.

He could feel the two bars that were under his control, embedded into the structure of their tower. He had to concentrate hard and divide the energy of his mind to add a third one. It was still lying on the floor, shaking, vibrating under the touch of his mind until it came loose and began to float into position. The children watched their tower grow as each one of them repeated the procedure.

"C'mon Eyza! You can do it!" Reyan said.

He had already added a fifth bar to the tower. They were now halfway through to the top but as their father said it was already surprisingly difficult to keep control over so many objects at the same time.

"I'm trying" the Sonowan girl whispered.

She was having trouble with her fifth bar but positioned it just right. Sweat was beginning to form on her forehead. It was mentally exhausting but she held on. Shezu had trouble with it too. She always found it hard to focus her energy, and it sometimes just scattered violently in all directions but she too held on, concentrating on the smallest of particles each bar was made of. But something had to ruin it of course. A tiny little insect, flying through the room chose Pynch's nose as a good place to land on. The black-skinned Talocaan boy felt the itch between his nostrils and bit his teeth. "There's something on my nose" he said softly. In an attempt to blow the insect away from his nose he nearly lost control over his set of bars and the tower started to sway.

"Careful!" Reyan yelled.

"I can't help it" Pynch said snorting.

"It itches. I think I'm gonna…"

He was already gathering breath for a sneeze.

"No! Don't do it!" But it was unstoppable.

Pynch sneezed loudly a few times and the entire construction of plastic bars, only held together by the power of their minds collapsed when Pynch's bars fell out of it. The parts of their hard work flew helplessly in all directions. Fran rolled over and cried with laughter making most of the others laugh with him but Reyan was angry.

"Pynch! It's all your fault!" he grumbled.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it" his brother replied, wiping his nose.

Reyan spotted the little bug flying through the room and crushed it with a single thought.

"Now children, don't quarrel over it" Galen said calming Reyan down a bit.

"Yes dad" his son replied.

"C'mon, let's try it again guys" their father encouraged them.

Of course the children didn't give up after one try and after a few minutes and some hard work they had used all of the bars and the top of the tower almost touched the ceiling. The children all had the sweat on their foreheads and were panting softly as it cost them considerable effort to keep it standing.

"Very good" Galen praised.

A pleased smile crept along his face. A smile copied by the children.

"Okay guys, now let's give father a hand by putting them back where they belong" Reyan said, moving the first of his of bars back into the box.

Following his example, the other children let their bars float back to the box too until they there was not a single one left. Letting themselves fall on their backs on the floor they started to laugh. Shezu was one of them. Despite the fact that she sometimes found it hard to concentrate on more than a few objects, she felt like she was only exploring the edge of her abilities. She just knew she was capable of so much more. And after the lessons for this day her father told her that he felt the same way. Leading her to the part of their underground home where he worked on his projects he explained his daughter about a thing he had been working on for some time.

"I have been working on a special holographic training environment to seek the limits of your abilities" he said.

"Since you are the strongest, I'm allowing you to test the device for the first time."

"Sounds interesting" Shezu replied.

She rarely came into this part of their home. Her father didn't want to be disturbed when he was working here on new things to help develop their powers. She respected his wishes and didn't come near the lab, just like the others. Her father lead her to one of the doors forming his part of their home and let her enter first. She immediately noticed that this was no ordinary room. Holo-emitters had been installed and sensitive equipment to control them where placed behind a shielded wall on the right side of the brightly lit room. A large window allowed the controlling person to keep track of what happened inside the simulation environment.

"Wow, what is this place?" Shezu said, astonished by her father's work.

Galen smiled.

"As I said, this room will help you to increase the strength of your abilities even more. It is a training room and I feel that you are ready to test it out."

Wondering what this was all about, Shezu followed her father to the small control room.

"You might wanna take off your shirt and pull this on."

He held a flexible protective suit with some patches of armor in front of his daughter.

"Okay" she said.

She still had no idea what he was talking about but it certainly wasn't without danger, judging by the protective suit he handed her. Taking place behind the controls and closing the door of the control room, he told her to take position in the middle of the simulation room. His voice sounded over the speaker system.

"All right, let's start."

He activated the system. The lights dimmed and the control panel in front of him lighted up. The holographic matrix powered up, ready to receive instructions. He decided to start with something simple.

"Be careful Shezu. This is going to be a whole lot different from what you're used to."

He selected one of his training programs and a small floating holographic ball appeared in front of his daughter. He noticed her ear flatten itself as she traced the ball with her eyes when it began circling around her.

"Can you feel the ball Shezu? Can you sense its position, feel its molecular structure?"

"Yes" her voice replied over the speakers.

"But how is that possible? It's not real."

"It's as real as the real thing Shezu. This system is highly advanced and can make things as real as you want them to be. Are you ready? This ball is going to try and knock you off your feet. It's your job to try and hold it off. Everything is allowed."

Shezu assumed a more steady position on her feet, bowing slightly through her double knees, trying not to lose the ball from her eyesight. But she knew it was going to take more than her eyes in order to succeed.

"Okay, I'm ready" she said determinately.

When her father pressed the button the ball began to move erratically around her, trying to find a hole in her defense. Shezu put her fast reflexes to work, holding her clawed hands up to focus her energy. Lightning fast, the ball dove behind her and tried to attack her. Reacting equally as fast, Shezu turned around and dealt the metal sphere a powerful blow with her mind. She could feel its surface dent, its molecular structure changing shape but it reassumed its original form and continued the attack. It flew towards her at high speed, ready to hit her head and knock her unconsciousness. But Shezu instinctively dropped herself to the floor and moved up her hand. Another wave of psycho-kinetic energy collided with the ball and forced it up towards the ceiling. She jumped back to her feet and prepared for the comeback of the ball. Her toe-nails scratched over the metal floor when she braced herself for another attack. Unaware that her father had programmed a second ball she was fixed on the first one until she was lying on the ground with a bruise on her back underneath her armored training suit.

"Hey! No fair!" she complained pushing herself back up with her arms.

Her father had put the program on halt while she scrambled back to her feet and bit her teeth. Despite the protective suit, it still hurt.

"You can do much better than this Shezu" her father encouraged her.

"Feel, don't look. See your opponent, not with your eyes but with your mind. I know I can't help you from this point on but I know what you are capable of if you concentrate."

"Okay" she replied bowing through her double set of knees.

She pulled her hair away from her field of vision, something that wouldn't matter if she did what her father told her to do. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the environment, letting her mind explore the room until an image of everything around her started to form. Every corner, every wall and her opponents, the two balls which were now circling above her like a pair of vultures. She sensed their movements, keeping track of them on her mental radar. She opened her eyes again and found those of her father behind the transparent barrier sealing off the control room.

"I'm ready dad."

"Brace yourself" Galen replied pressing the 'hold' button again to let the program continue.

The two metal spheres immediately began following the same erratic flight path as before, completely unpredictable as the program tried to find an opening in her defense while she held them off by sending out waves of psycho-kinetic energy. As soon as her father thought she handled the situation well, he increased the difficulty of the exercise by adding a third ball. But the sudden appearance of a third opponent startled her and caused her to lose her concentration. She was knocked down again, breaking her fall with her muscular arms. The loss of concentration also caused her to lose control over her breathing. Sweat dripped down her face on the floor as she pushed herself back on her feet again.

"You've done well today sweetheart. It's enough for now."

"No wait" she said between two breaths.

"Let me try again father."

Galen shook his head.

"You're being too hard on yourself. You've shown amazing progress. It won't take long now before your brothers and sisters are ready to try this as well."

"But I've got to try harder dad. I think I'm starting to get the hang of it but I still find it hard to focus sometimes. Please, let me try one more time."

Shezu noticed that her father was thinking about it. But Galen knew that his daughter only wanted to hear one answer so he asked her if she was ready for one last time.

"Let's see what you're truly made of girl" he muttered under his breath.

"_All right, this is it. Stop thinking in three dimensions. You are beyond that"_ she thought, wiping the sweat off her forehead.

Her hair was wet too, sticking to her forehead and cheeks. Her tail with the fluffy white tip was whipping from one side over to the other, her ears flattened on her head. Her genetic enhancements resulted in an amazing endurance. She had already regained control over her breathing and nodded into the direction of her father. Her father muttered a soft 'all right' and she continued. But this time she understood what he meant by letting go of the laws of physics. She had already proven that she could bend them so why not go a step further? As soon as the three balls started to move again she brought herself in a deeper concentration than ever before. She could feel their movements, even predict them to a certain level. And she felt like she could reach a new level of power if she kept this up. Hitting them with powerful waves of psycho-kinetic energy and constantly diving, evading and attacking. This little training exercise helped the young girl to improve her concentration tremendously. Her technique improved with each round and her power, speed and agility increased as well. Her father was astonished. She was already holding her own against five of the balls and she didn't seem to be having any trouble when he added a sixth.

"Let's see what happens if I do this" he muttered.

He pressed a button and all six balls instantly moved in a circular pattern around his daughter and were joined by twenty more! Lighting fast they flew towards her, ready to squeeze the life out of her. And all of this happened within a fraction of a second. But Shezu was faster. She saw her opponents. Had seen their move and charged up for the final attack. Just before the metal spheres could make contact with her skin she unleashed a tremendously powerful burst of psycho-kinetic energy in all directions. The mental shockwave scattered the balls in all directions. One of them smashed against the transparent window, a massive crack appearing inside the barrier which was now opaque. Tiny little electric shocks scattered from her body when the young Mantrin girl collapsed to the ground. Circuits shorted out and equipment died out with a chain of small explosions. Emergency lighting blinked on as the lights died out. Shezu was lying on the floor hearing the hasty footsteps of her father coming closer.

"Shezu!" he yelled.

She had never felt so tired before. It was like if that little mind quake had used up all the energy in her body and left just enough to keep her conscious. She was barely able to move and her body still sparked when her father rolled her on her back and held her, her head resting on his strong arm.

"Oh Shezu" he said softly stroking her cheek.

Some of the color had drained from her face, her light-brown skin now more like a Fjetahna's. Her eyes seemed to be looking through him instead of at him but he noticed the faint laugh on her face.

"I'm so sorry. I should have been more careful."

He blamed himself for what happened. If he hadn't pushed her this far she would never have used up all her energy like this.

"Don't be sad father" she said softly.

She wanted to lift her arm to stroke her father's face but for some reason it felt like gravity had increased tenfold.

"I'm just tired that's all."

Gathering every drop of strength she still had left in her body and with her father's help she managed to sit upright.

"First we need to get you out of that suit" he decided, untying the armor protecting her body.

Freed from that harness she was at least able to breathe a little easier. After given a mild injection by her father she slowly felt her strength coming back. His training sure helped her to explore the limits of what her body was capable of. She had amazing abilities but there was a limit to what her body could withstand while handling such power. After all she was still a flesh and blood being, and her powers certainly did not make her indestructible. Helping his exhausted daughter back on her feet Galen felt relieved that she was okay. Her genetic enhancements were already doing their work. While she pulled on her shirt, Reyan came running into the room, clearly in panic judging by the expression on his face. He was panting slightly and had come here as fast as his large legs could carry him.

"Daddy, daddy!"

"Reyan what are you doing here? I told you to remain with your brothers and sisters."

"Daddy, there's a strange man in the room with us. He says he's looking for you."

Galen felt like his whole inside had turned into ice. This could not be happening. _How could they have found this place?_ It was like if his worst nightmare was becoming reality. They were here to turn him in and to take the children away from him. What would become of them? _Are they going to kill them?_

"I've gotta protect the children" it flashed through his mind in panic.

"Dad, what's wrong?" Shezu asked.

"_Clever girl" _he thought.

She already knew something was not right. But after all, everyone could have read that from his face.

"Come Shezu, Reyan" he said strictly, leading them both out of the training room.

He was not going to let this happen. He had to think quickly. With Shezu and Reyan on his tail he passed by his own room, headed inside and came back with a blaster. With firm steps, determined to remove the trespassers from his house he walked back to the living room. When he entered the room from the other side he was greeted by a frightening sight. The six other children had gathered in a corner of the room in fear, trying to get as far away as possible from the Mantrin warrior standing in front of the other door opening. He could imagine how it felt. They had never seen anyone else but their father. The other Mantrin was holding a powerful pulse rifle in his clawed hands and stared back at him through his eyepiece. His body armor carried the seal of the EAF but he was calm and hadn't shot him on sight so maybe they were just here to turn him in. Galen's dual heartbeat rose to a much higher level and he noticed his breathing was becoming irregular. He was already thinking about a plan to escape through the back entrance in case he couldn't hold them off, which was becoming more likely by the minute. He spotted the lighted eyepieces of two more soldiers in the corridor behind this guy which was obviously the leader. _How many more are there?_

Shezu had seen them as well. She watched her father standing transfixed before the leader of the group. The Sogowan soldier didn't look particularly friendly and was observing their living room to make a tactical assessment. Her brothers and sisters were all shaking in fear in the corner of the room, some of them on the edge of crying.

"Daddy, who are these people? I'm scared" Reylyn moaned.

"Don't worry my dear, they're not going to hurt you" Galen ensured her.

The Orketh girl didn't look very convinced. She was paralyzed when the soldier stared back at her.

"That's right" he said with his deep low voice.

Reylyn gave a soft cry. That was the signal for her and the others to get up and hide behind their father. She flung her arms around her father's leg, not to let go until that scary man was gone. Her father softly stroke her head and said a few soothing words to her.

"I'm not here to hurt anyone" the Sogowan said.

"Galen, I'm afraid I have to ask you to come with us."

"_So it was true. They were here to take them"_ he thought.

"No. You're not gonna take them away from me" he spat back.

"Galen, you don't understand. Let me take you and the children to a place where we can guarantee their safety. You don't want anything to happen to them, do you?"

The Sogowan did a step forward and Galen and his children instinctively did a step back. But not Shezu, who kept standing in exactly the same spot. She stared back at him, studying him with her eyes. Her father had told her not to scan someone's mind without permission. But this man wasn't very nice to them and wouldn't notice if she did, did he? She was wondering if she should take a look inside to see if he was hiding his true intentions.

"Funny, considering you are the one pointing a gun at us" Galen scoffed.

The soldier hesitated, then sighed and lowered his weapon.

"All right, I'm putting the gun down but don't try anything rash Galen. I know you're hiding a weapon there" he said, ticking with his finger on his eyepiece.

He put the weapon to the wall so that he had his hands free and suddenly a smile crept along his face. Shezu didn't trust this smile of him. He was hiding something, she knew it.

"You have to understand, I'm not here to use force but I have my orders to bring you back to base so we can make sure nobody gets hurt."

He shrugged.

"You don't have to be afraid of me. I have no evil intentions and have no desire to harm you."

He spoke in a friendly manor and even added a laugh.

"I can see why you love your children. I have children too you know."

He stepped up to Shezu, stretching out his hand to stroke her head.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Galen snarled through clenched teeth.

His hands were now balled to shaking fists.

"I can see you're not gonna make this easy. Please, I'm asking you one more time. Otherwise I have to call the base and tell them you're not coming with us. It's better if you…"

"He's lying" Shezu interrupted him.

The soldier was genuinely surprised when he heard her saying that. He was silent for a moment, staring back at the girl who was now no longer an innocent child. She bared her teeth at him and added a growl.

"Shezu get behind me" Galen said without leaving room for objections.

Doing as her father said the girl joined her brothers and sisters but not without losing him from her eyesight.

"_How could she know that?_" Treji thought.

_She couldn't have…_ _Damn it! That little brat probed my mind!_

"Why you little!-" he yelled.

In a second the gun was back in his hands and aimed at Galen's chest. The weapon was still on stun and it would be enough to knock him unconscious with one shot.

"Why are you doing this mister?" Fran asked, courageously stepping from behind his father's back.

"Our daddy has done nothing to you."

"Your little daddy, has caused the death of over two dozen scientists, including my uncle!" Treji yelled.

"I'm personally putting an end to his little science project if I have to."

Tears rushed to the young Goureg's bright blue eyes and he started sobbing when he hid behind his father's back again. Shezu wasn't certain about anything anymore. Her father, a murderer? Their father had only recently introduced them to the concept of murder but she couldn't believe that he was responsible for taking so many people's lives. Her father was good man and wouldn't do such horrible things, right? It was all so confusing. She didn't know what to believe anymore.

"Galen I'm asking this one more time. Are you coming with us?" the soldier grumbled.

"And I'm saying this one more time. Go to hell!"

"As you wish."

The soldier pulled the trigger but for some reason it was jammed. He couldn't pull the trigger, no matter how hard he tried. The button just wouldn't press.

"What the?-" he said in astonishment as his weapon began to lead a life of its own.

It was vibrating and becoming hot to the point it burned his hands and he had to let go of it. But when his eyes shot from the tactical display to the group of children he watched as some of them held their hands up toward him. They were pulling the gun from his hands using their mind.

"_It is true"_ Treji thought, unable to take action.

He watched in amazement as the muzzle of the gun began to bow and eventually the whole weapon crumbled into a smoking and sparkling ball. It dropped uselessly to the floor with a heavy thump. He was nailed to his spot on the floor for a moment until he realized what he was dealing with. In the mean time Galen had drawn his gun and fired on his chest. The green laser bolt whizzed through the air and hit his armor, scorching the metal just above his stomach. He looked back at Galen and growled.

"Go my children, go!" Galen yelled trying to hold off the whole team which now entered the room one by one.

One of the other soldiers fired his own weapon instead and hit the scientist in his right shoulder. Galen was pushed back by the blast and collapsed to the ground roared in pain.

"No father" Shezu yelled, sinking through her knees beside him.

"You have to go Shezu" he urged her.

"But daddy, what about you?" Shezu cried.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked him in his eyes.

"Go Shezu! It's time for you and your brothers and sisters to go! I love you all and I don't want anything to happen to you, so go!"

Leaving him for what he was, against her will she grabbed Reylyn and the young Fran by their arms and started to run. Running for their lives to the other entrance of their home. She couldn't stop running, even when she heard the last scream of her father before it was silent.

"Get them!" she heard the soldier yell.

It didn't take long before they were on the run for their approaching footsteps. They were faster of course on their larger legs. Lucky for them there were a lot of corners in the part of their underground home so they couldn't get a clear shot, especially while on the run. With the soldier squad hot on their tails the children ran.

"_But why exactly?" _she thought.

She had shown father what she was capable of doing. She let go of Fran and Reylyn and suddenly came to a halt.

"Sister, what are you doing?" Reylyn asked.

Her face and shirt were wet from the tears just like Fran's. Shezu turned around to face them.

"Run Reylyn! Take your brother and don't stop for anything! They're coming."

Fran did as she said, trying to catch up with the others but Reylyn hesitated.

"I wanna help you."

"No Reylyn go!"

"But-"

But it was already too late. The footsteps were close and a tiny little sphere with flashy lights on it landed in front of her feet. Shezu was shocked but recovered quickly and grabbed the thing with her mind without thinking about what it was first and tossed it back to where it came from. She just watched the lights on the device turn red as it bounced around the corner. A sudden high-pitched noise and an excruciating pain tortured her ears. She clamped the side of her head and tried to cover them up but it was just too much. One of the lights in the ceiling blew out sending a small shower of sparks down to the ground. She collapsed to the ground on her first set of knees. Reylyn was doing the same.

"Make it stop. Make it stop!" her sister screamed.

Shezu watched in horror as two soldiers stepped into the remaining light, one male the other female. They were both obviously protected from the effects of the grenade as they didn't seem to be in any pain like she was. When it finally stopped, her ears ringed and she felt like her head was splitting in two. Unable to get up immediately she felt the hands of the two soldiers around her arms.

"_No"_ she thought.

"Shezu help me!" Reylyn yelled.

Reylyn's panicking voice unleashed a sudden anger in her that blocked out all sense for a moment. It felt like it was alive and on the verge of overwhelming her. Suddenly the strength in her body was back and the psycho-kinetic energy slumbering in her mind woke up. She didn't even have to concentrate to focus her energy. It all went by itself. She sensed the soldiers holding her in their firm grip. Felt their fragile bodies she could crush with a single thought. But she was no killer. She wasn't like the people who attacked her father. Instead she grabbed their bodies just as easily as some of the toys they used to play with and tossed them against the wall with considerable force. Panting, she watched how the motionless bodies of the soldiers hit the floor with a thump leaving them unconscious. But she already heard the voices of more of them coming. She knew she couldn't hold them all of. It was too exhausting to keep using her energy like that. She sucked in her breath and whipped her head to the other side. When her sister turned around and wanted to take her with her, Reylyn didn't recognize her anymore. The friendliness had disappeared out of her differently colored eyes and was replaced by anger. It frightened the young girl for a moment. But before she had the chance to convince herself this was still her sister, Shezu grabbed her arm and dragged her with her.

"W…Where did you learn to do that?" she asked with a shaky voice.

"Father taught me a few tricks before they came" Shezu replied harshly without looking at her younger sister.

Her eyes were directed at the end of the tunnel, where light and fresh air came towards them. Out there, she could sense the thoughts of her brothers and sisters. They were still waiting for them.

"Now hurry, they're still behind us!"

With the adrenaline surging through their bodies the children made it to the outside where the others were waiting near the tree line on the foot of the hill. Waving her arms she signaled the others to run and hide into the forest. She had been outside a few times before but only under the watchful gaze of her father. The fresh smell of grass, the warmth of the afternoon sun, it was invigorating and it encouraged her to run even faster. "Sister please! I can't run any faster" Reylyn panted.

"You've got to! We'll be killed if they catch us!"

Seeking cover into the forest, the eight children walked further at a steady pace. It looked like they had lost their pursuers but they couldn't be sure so they kept walking deeper and deeper into the forest until their feet hurt and they couldn't go any further. All eight of them let themselves fall down in the grass near a large fallen tree in the middle of the forest. The sounds of the forest around them were interrupted by their panting as their lungs fought for more air.

"I think… We've lost them" Reyan brought out.

"I think it's safe to assume that they won't find us here" Shezu replied.

She was almost just as tired as the moment after her training exercise with her father. She even felt a little dizzy. When they finally had their heartbeat and respiration down to a normal level they started to get aware of their environment. They had never been this far from home. In fact, they never had been any further than the foot of the hill and only for short moments.

Shezu stood up and looked around for a moment, pricking her tufted ears. She picked up all kinds of wonderful sounds she had never heard before, at least not from up close. When she looked up into the sky she could see the birds singing the songs. Wow, they all had such beautiful colors. She looked down and felt the soft grass and dirt under her feet. It was quite warm. She was sweating from the long run and the summer was coming. The lab was always nice and cool but out here, temperatures could easily reach up to forty degrees in summertime. Her father had told them that summer was a time of joy for children. He even told them that he would think about letting them play outside for chance. Now he was gone. They _had_ to go back for him.

"What do we do now?" Jicko asked the others.

They were all alone with no one to take care of them.

"We've got to find water first" Reyan said.

The Sogowan boy stood up ready to take the lead again. They had to find water and food and gather some wood for a fire tonight. The nights on Sogowa were rarely cold but who knew what kind of animals lived in these forests or used them as their hunting grounds? Their father taught them that outside in the forest, the fire would keep the wild animals at a distance.

"I want my daddy" Reylyn moaned.

"He's gone. They took him" Reyan said through clenched teeth.

Shezu could feel his anger. She had felt that too and it was a most unusual experience. She had never experienced such anger before and despite Reyan's temper, it was also his first time that he felt true anger over the loss of someone dear. He growled.

"I can't believe it! They just took him!"

He screamed and launched a powerful blast at a nearby tree in rage. The blast blew a fairly large circular hole inside the trunk sending splinters in all directions. Staring at his destruction, his clawed hands still up, Reyan snorted heavily.

"We've gotta go back for him!" Pynch said.

He stood up too.

"Our father is dead! They killed him!" Reyan spat back.

Reylyn started to cry. Eyza and Fran took care of her, comforting her by holding their sister in their arms and saying a few soothing words to her.

"You don't know that!" Shezu yelled back.

Losing control over his violent emotions, Reyan turned towards his sister with a tug, unwillingly releasing a burst of energy in her directions. Shezu felt an invisible fist hitting her chest, launching her backwards. Her claws ploughed through the dirt until her back hit the nearest tree. She growled and shot her brother a vicious look.

"Stop it!" Jicko said walking towards his hurt sister.

"Can't you see that your anger is tearing us apart?"

The dark brown Talocaan boy looked at her.

"Are you all right?"

Shezu nodded.

If it weren't for the fact that they needed to stay together she would have folded her brother in that hole he had created inside the tree but managed to restrain herself from doing that.

"Reyan, you and your anger not being very helpful but I think it's best to stick to you plan. We've got find food and water first."

Calming down, Reyan nodded back.

"Since no one of us knows these forests we're gonna split up in four groups. As soon as you find something of interest you just send the others a signal telepathically" Shezu suggested.

And so they had a plan. Eyza with Reylyn, Fran and Syndar, Jicko and Pynch, since they were brothers and Shezu with Reyan since she was the only one who could help him control his anger without sustaining serious injury. Trying to survive and staying out of the hands of those people who killed their father was now their top-priority. She could only hope, that the others wouldn't be captured now that they were split up.


	8. Chapter 5 Freedom Fighters

**Freedom Fighters**

"Something's not right" Akima said for the third time in the past five minutes.

They had roughly fifteen minutes left before the auction started and the slave traders still seemed to have everything perfectly under control. If Trezka was busy inciting the slaves to riot, she certainly took her time. She was standing with her Captain, Cale and Brian near a stall where a Solbrechtian was selling any but legal weapons and accessory. The four-armed alien's eyes were narrowed and had been closely following them since they entered his eyesight. High-powered blasters, high-capacity powerpacks and more things that were outlawed in this part of the quadrant.

"_Stith would love this"_ Akima thought.

The memory of her friend remembered her even more about the precarious situation Trezka had put herself in.

"We've gotta do something."

Her hand shot down to her holster, the high-grade laser blaster drawn and ready to shoot within a fraction of a second. But before she could undertake a rescue the weapon was put down subtly by the hand of her Captain. Korso shook his head.

"Don't. You'll only end up getting yourself killed."

"For all we know she could be dying. We can't trust the Gvort."

Akima was mad at herself for letting the Mantrinesse go through with this. It was stupid. 'Turn your back on a Gvort and you were in chains'. That was the saying. And once they had you they would never let you go.

"She knew the risks involved. But she's a Mantrin. An EAF soldier."

Akima grinded her teeth and wanted to put the gun back in her holster.

"A fine weapon" the Solbrechtian complemented.

He flashed her a grin without much teeth when she looked in his direction.

"I might have something that has your interest" he said, letting his hand go over the displayed merchandise.

"No thanks" Akima replied in a more or less friendly manor, but firm enough to make him understand her interests were elsewhere.

The gruff expression reappeared on the alien's face but the group had already walked on.

"I still think we should have bought something" Cale remarked.

"Those ThunderVolt TY-308 power cells are very rare and hard to get."

"And illegal" Korso added.

"You could power a starship's weapons with them, so to speak. And then they put that in a blaster. One overload and everyone in a radius of a hundred meters won't be able to tell what happened. Let's go. If the auction starts and Trezka is somehow compromised, I wanna be in a position to save her skin."

Doing as he said the group followed their Captain. People were already starting to fill up the space on the square in the middle of all the commotion where the bidding would take place. They were certainly in for a surprise.

Being trapped in a cage herself, Trezka could very well understand that long term imprisonment would eventually drive people mad. Crawling in your own filth, the stench of your neighboring cellmate who was already dead for a few days before they finally removed his body, the crying of the slaves who had been captive for so long. They just didn't sell for a high enough price or not at all and were just forgotten. She was only in that metal plated cell for about half an hour and she was already starting to feel miserable. She was a really tough girl but this place just gave her the creeps and all the horrors happening around her drove every single drop of happiness from her mind. _Anyone would eventually turn psychotic here. _After studying some of the texts on the walls of her cell she realized that was exactly apparently happened to the previous owner of this cell too. The graffiti had become faint over time but after some puzzling she could still read a few of them. The texts had been written in blood and said things like: "Death is freedom" and "to escape is to die."

"_Not when I'm still thinking straight" _she thought.

Her biggest motive for breaking free was probably Itàn, her boyfriend. The Goureg was a sweet guy but really pugnacious when it came to battle. Wake him up in the middle of the night and he can shoot just as accurately as any other time of the this time she had to do it without him physically. She needed a plan to escape this cell or she would spend the rest of her life in chains. Maybe she could pull something off when the guards took her out of her cell to be sold. She just needed to stick to the plan. As soon as the slaves were tearing the place up, they would use the revolt as a distraction to capture Gra'kath and any others working with him. Just a few more minutes of waiting. She hated this part. If they had put her in a normal cell with a forcefield, the disruptor would have worked and everything would have proceeded according to plan.

When those few minutes had passed, her ears finally picked up the sounds of approaching footsteps. The guards were coming. It didn't take long before the smirking face of the Rutani reappeared on the other side of the steel bars together with one of the Gvort. But there were only two this time.

"Wake up precious. It's time for you to join your new master" he said malevolently.

"Consider it an honor to be first. Now put on those manacles again."

"_And it's time for you to join your ancestors" _she thought, retrieving the handcuffs from the filthy floor.

That piece of crap was in for a little surprise. Because of her species incredible strength and her knowledge of all sorts of restraints she had slightly bowed the clasps so that the metal ring around her right wrist didn't fully close anymore.

"_Useless junk" _she thought.

Apparently they couldn't afford anything better just like it was the case with most stuff aboard this ship. Fastening the manacles around her wrists, the Rutani closed them with the press of a button. Trezka smirked when she felt the right one being jammed. The steel bars disappeared into the ceiling and the Gvort pointed his gun at her when the Rutani signaled her to come out. He was holding the neckband with the jangling chains in his other hand but she was not planning on giving him the chance to put that thing on again.

"That's it. Don't try anything foolish. You don't wanna disappoint the buyers, do you?"

Trezka sneered back. The guard traced her eyes to the little remote still in his right hand. He laughed maliciously.

"You want the key eh? Over my dead body."

"You got it."

The Rutani hadn't seen this coming. The Gvort already pointed his gun at the place where she was standing less than a second ago. In a heartbeat she was behind her captor, the manacles around his throat. He was overwhelmed by her surprisingly fast action, considering her size. The edges of her beak curved into an evil grin.

"It would be wise to press that button again" she whispered venomously.

She pulled harder on the manacles, squeezing the trachea of the Rutani shut. He kicked and screeched in her strong arms but despite his considerable size and strength he was no match for Trezka's muscles.

"Shoot her!" he gargled, dropping the neckband.

He was desperately trying to hold on to the little remote in his other hand.

"I'm trying but you're not making this easy" the Gvort grumbled trying to find a gap.

The Mantrin was using his partner's body as a shield, making it difficult to get a good shot at her.

"_That's it. Come closer you overgrown frog"_ Trezka thought.

When he finally thought he had a good angle to shoot from, the Gvort didn't realize he was within range of perhaps a Mantrin's most powerful weapon: the legs. Lightning fast, Trezka retracted her right leg and threw it into the Gvort's stomach area with all her strength. The sound of ribs breaking was lost in the alien's gargling scream when his intestines were reduced to pulp within his body. A mixture of vomit and blood forced its way up his throat when he floated through the air for a moment. His life ended when his back hit the wall on the opposite side of where Trezka's foot had been a brief moment ago. The lonely shot that left the muzzle of his weapon was harmlessly absorbed by the forcefield of a neighboring cell. The Rutani stared at his dead partner for a moment, his eyes bulging out of the sockets.

"Any last words?" Trezka whispered, pulling the Rutani with her to the back of the prison.

The stench of vomit was a little too much for her nose. Her victim dropped the remote and was now trying to remove the manacles from his throat with the last of his dissipating strength. He coughed violently.

"Please" he gargled.

"I'll do everything you ask."

"Now that's a good boy" Trezka replied with a laugh.

She simply removed the manacles from her right hand and smashed the end of it against the back of the Rutani's head. He collapsed to the floor, blood trickling from the back of his head. He groaned when she gave him a last vicious kick in the ribs, breaking one or two.

"Consider that payback" she said, stepping over his broken body to retrieve the remote.

Freeing her other arm from the manacles she tossed them in a corner of the hall. She grabbed her wrists and loosened them up a bit. They were sore and her skin was chafed on a few places but that wouldn't stop her.

"_Now I need to find a way to bust everyone out" _she thought.

Walking over to the meat bag that once had been a Gvort, she removed the gun from his dead hands. That would come in handy. Already making her way to the front of the hall she was held back by a voice. By multiple actually. The slaves that still hadn't lost their mind completely were staring at her from behind the forcefields and steel bars. Their eyes were empty, drained of all hope of ever seeing something else than the inside of their cell.

"You are free" a Solbrechtian said.

"Please, you've gotta help us" another one, a human begged.

Even if that hadn't been the plan in the first place, she felt obligated to help. These people had been locked up here for so long. When she looked around, she saw people from lots of different worlds, all staring at her, from all the levels of the hall where they had been held captive for what must have felt like eternity.

"I will" she said with a raised voice.

"Don't worry. My friends and I will get all of you out of here. Hold on."

She flicked an ear and turned around when the Rutani, who was miraculously enough still awake replied.

"You're not gonna get away with this."

She scoffed.

"Indeed, I have some unfinished business I need to take care of first."

She turned around with a whip of her tail but was stopped again by the alien's voice.

"Wait! You're not going to kill me?"

She looked over her shoulder for one last time. The Rutani guard's body was still lying sprawled on the dirty metal floor. She let out a laugh.

"Oh, I'm not going to kill you."

She pointed up at the slave cages above him.

"They will."

The Rutani's face turned into a mask of fear for a moment. He was helpless. He was losing a lot of blood, that had formed a small pool near his head, had at least two broken ribs and the concussion didn't make it possible for him to get help on his own. He growled in anger and frustration.

"You wouldn't dare" he grumbled.

"Watch me" Trezka replied.

Lashing her tail she walked to the front of the prison, her stolen weapon at the ready. In the left corner was a small control panel for keeping an eye on every single cell.

"_There must be some command to open all cell doors simultaneously" _she thought.

At three meters from the console, a half a dozen prison guards stormed into the hall through the main entrance, all pointing their weapons at her.

"Hold it right there!"one of the Gvort shouted.

Trezka instinctively jumped the last few meters as she had heard them coming. Sailing through the air while returning fire she hit two of them in the chest. They collapsed to the floor under her precise shots but she had to admit they weren't bad either. The remaining four fired their weapons. Three shots painted the walls and floor black but the other one grazed her just under her shoulder. A hot knife of pain shot through her upper right arm as the concentrated beam of energy scorched her flesh and burned her tattered clothes. Fortunately their aim was off as laser wounds could be quite nasty but it still hurt. She growled and tried her arm. It bled slightly but nothing major.

"Surrender! We have you outnumbered!" one of the Gvort snarled.

Keeping her ears low, she peeked over the console. She was quick enough to see four of her opponents still standing before retracting her head.

"Shit" she snarled feeling the heat of the laser blast as it whined over her head, hitting the wall behind her.

She had to take them out in order to use the console and find out which button opened all of the cells. Supporting her weight with her strong right arm she used to console as cover to shoot from a position close to the floor. The base of the console was made from a strong metal alloy so the thing could take a few shots. Matching the gun with her line of sight she aimed at her menaces. A few good shots at their knees and they fell like rotten apples from a tree. Before they realized what was happened they all had their knees shattered to burned pieces and were writhing in agony on the floor. Shivering in fear they watched the Mantrin stand up and giving them a leering look, the muzzle of her gun pointed at their fragile bodies. For a second it looked like she was going to put an end to their miserable lives. Trezka actually had that idea too but it would be good to let them suffer for a while, just like they let everyone in those slave cages suffer. She put the gun down and spat on the ground. Returning to the console she eventually found the button with the emergency release for all slave cages. A sneer cutting across her face, she pressed it. An alarm blared through the hall for a moment followed by the sound of deactivating forcefields.

"_That'll do" _she thought with a sharp-toothed grin.

As she walked past the bodies of the guards, who tried to get away from her massive legs, she already saw a horde of slaves beginning to form in the middle of the prison. A dozen different species, driven together by their common anger and their desire to take revenge on their captors. Some of them looked horrible, their mutilated bodies, underfed and mistreated. Yellow-greenish pus dripped from the infected wounds around the slaves' wrists and necks. They were in desperate need of medical care. At first she thought about getting back to the others as soon as possible but talking to the slaves first might be a better idea. Taking revenge is something she would do first if she were one of them but they had to do it without getting themselves killed in the process. She and the humans were here to get them out alive. She picked a skinny example of her own race as a person to talk to and approached him. It was scary to look at, a Mantrin without the strength of his muscles. The Sogowan's arms and legs were so thin and weakened that it was a miracle that he was still alive. He looked up when she approached him. His glassy eyes were empty, the fire of the warrior within him been put out a long time ago. He was physically broken and mentally he was holding on to the only thing he had left… his anger. It was strange to see a Mantrin in such a horrible condition. The members of her race were quite in demand because of their strength and endurance but that was also the reason they were hard to capture.

"Hey uh, I'm Trezka" she said, not exactly knowing how to start.

"I forgot my name a long time ago" he whispered.

"But pleased to meet you."

"Look, I'm here to get you all out. Me and my people have a ship waiting. Our mission is to get all of you out alive and arrest everyone behind this whole operation."

A human stepped out of the crowd and took the word.

"Well what do you want us to do?" he said.

He was in better condition than most of them but still weakened by malnutrition. A rotten stench came from the wounds around his wrists. They hadn't seen a shower in months.

"He is right" the Mantrin said dejectedly.

"We're in no condition to fight back. Once the guards realize what's going on they'll kill us all within a few moments. They are the ones with the guns you see."

Their conversation was disturbed by the agonizing screams of the Rutani in the back of the prison. A group of slaves was slowly killing him with just their bare hands. She couldn't blame them for taking their long awaited revenge but the sounds when his skull cracked under the foot of a member of her own species and his brains were splattered against the wall made her nauseous. She pointed with the muzzle of her weapon towards the other six guards near the entrance. As soon as they heard the screams of their colleague they started to crawl towards the exit as good as their crippled knees allowed them to.

"Take their weapons and shoot at anything that points a gun at you. My friends are here to help. You'll recognize them because we share a common goal and since they're practically the only humans in this place they're hard to miss. Are you willing to help me?"

The Mantrin smiled, revealing only a few rotten teeth.

"Where there's a will there's a way. A way out in this case."

"Let's do it" Trezka replied with a quick nod.

She turned around with a tug and a whip of her tail and started to lead the horde out of the place. The few ones that were still capable of holding a weapon grabbed the guns of the six guards that had tried to make their way out of danger. It was too late for them as they were shot in the back with their own weapons as the more than a hundred slaves thronged behind Trezka's lashing tail. The Soros was about to be turned into a warzone.

"Something's wrong" Akima said, trying to see anything over the heads of all the people who had gathered on the square in the middle of the ship for the auction.

The large screens hanging overhead were already active and displayed only zero's in a couple of different languages for now. That would change as soon as the first slave was brought to the podium but that moment hadn't come yet.

"In this case, that could be a good thing" Brian replied.

His view was directed not at the podium but at the direction of the slave cages. He could swear that he heard gunfire just a moment ago. A moment later, one of the Gvort came running from the slave cages, the panic dripping from his ugly reptilian-like face.

"Slaves are loose! Slaves are loose!" he yelled, waving with his arms in the air to get everyone's attention.

It certainly had effect, especially when his scream ended abruptly when a laser blast forced its way through his body and he collapsed in a pool of blood. People started screaming and the group started to scatter in all directions, away from the dead Gvort.

"We've gotta be careful not get overrun" Cale said, trying to evade the people sprinting past him.

All they could think about was getting off this ship as quickly as possible. A large group of loose slaves began to flood the marketplace from the right side but none of them could see if Trezka was among them. But they were certainly violent as they started shooting at everyone that dared to get in the way or tried to stop them.

"That won't be a problem" Korso said, drawing his blaster.

He fired two shots in rapid succession at the ceiling, the whine of the green laser bolts enough to drive the fleeing stampede of aliens away from their group, like he tossed a pebble in calm water. The exits were far too small to accommodate such a large amount of people and they were almost crawling over each other to get to their ships.

"We've gotta find Trezka" he said, trying to keep track of what was happening.

Now was their chance. With the guards desperately trying to hold off the advancing slaves, all they needed to do was find foreman Gra'kath and force him to surrender. Korso hoped that Trezka found a way to at least reason with the slaves before they destroyed the whole place and them with it. The group was taking some losses but they became stronger with each victory as they collected the guns from the fallen guards. It didn't take long before lasers were flying everywhere. When they were out of guards to kill they started to tear up the ship itself, destroying anything that could be destroyed.

"I think we found her" Akima said, pointing in the direction of slaves.

A sloppy Trezka elbowed her way through the crowd towards them, a stolen gun in the firm grip of her claws.

"I take it that it worked?" Trezka smirked.

"Barely, but yes with a change of plan. Wait a sec. Lets organize this mess first."

She climbed the podium and aimed her weapon at the two viewscreens hanging over the place. Pulling the trigger the two massive screens exploded in a shower of sparks that rained down next to her. For a moment she had the attention of the horde of slaves but that was all she needed. She drastically raised her voice and roared through the hall for everyone to hear.

"What do you want?"

"Revenge!" the slaves yelled.

"Then go and take it! Me and my people over there need to take care of something and then we can get you all out of here!"

The group cheered and began to spread to other areas of the ship, destroying everything in their path. Trezka had her eyes fixed on the control room on the right side above the marketplace. Walking towards the humans, she didn't lose it from her eyesight. For a moment she spotted Gra'kath through the window, his ugly green face a mask of fear.

"The big fat toad is up there guys" she said, pointing at window.

Gra'kath's head disappearing in an instant as soon as he saw her pointing finger. He surely still had personal guards protecting him but that was no match for a warrior of her caliber.

"Let's get him then" Brian replied drawing his gun.

The group pulled their weapons and moved towards the metal stairs towards the control room. The slaves had eliminated all further resistance so getting there was no problem. When Trezka kicked in the metal door of the room, which slammed against the wall with such force that it was torn out of the hinges, they found Gra'kath together with two other Gvort and a couple of armed guards.

"Hold it!" one of them yelled and opened fire.

Trezka dove to the left in an instant, feeling the heat of the lasers on her back when they hit the wall behind her. Her well-placed shots took out two of the guards but a third managed to fire a shot before taken out by Akima. Cale finished off the last one and Korso and Brian captured two out of three remaining Gvort but Gra'kath managed to dive in a corner, a small remote in his tiny hands.

"Hey, I know you" the Gvort struggling in Korso's hands said.

Akima stared back and a flash of recognition shot through her mind.

"Guadda" she said venomously.

It was the creep who had tried to sell her before when the Drej pod she was jettisoned in was captured by the Soros' slave traders.

"You know him?" Korso asked in a surprised way.

He already had his gun forced to the Gvort's head just like Brian did with the other.

"He was the one who tried to sell me to that hideous creep Narno" Akima shouted.

She walked up to the alien and planted her boot in his stomach. Guadda screamed in pain and coughed violently.

"Akima, we're here to place them under arrest, not torture them."

Akima sneered at her former captor for a moment before turning her head away. She wanted to make him pay for what he had done to her and so many others but her Captain and the Republic had another way of doing that.

"Stop, don't come any closer" Gra'kath squeaked as Trezka stepped towards him over his dead bodyguards.

A low growling escaped her beak as she stood in front of him, lashing her tail. Her finger was already on the trigger of her weapon, ready to end his miserable life in just a fraction of a second. He held up the remote in his shaking hands.

"If you want your little friends out there to live I suggest you stay back."

Trezka narrowed her eyes and growled in frustration. If it wasn't for the fact that they were here to save the slaves she would have showed him the foot of a Mantrin from up close.

"Hey, what about us?" the other G'vort asked.

He let out a cry when Brian pulled his arms behind his back a little harder. Trezka stopped moving closer but had her weapon still aimed for his head. On the highest setting, she could make it pop like a balloon.

"I'm gonna count to three, and then you let go of them and…"

"You can't count of you're dead!" Trezka snarled.

"Three" Gra'kath said with a soft shaky voice.

His skin looked much more moist than normal, the cold sweat running down his face.

"Darn it!" Trezka yelled.

"Don't do it Trezka. He'll kill them all" Korso said, making preparations to release Guadda.

He signaled Brian to do the same with the other.

"Two."

Trezka's anger was boiling to the moment it was going to explode. But she had to stay cool. One mistake and the people they had desperately tried to save all died at the hands of that disgusting little toad.

"One."

It was now or never. They had to release them and let them go or face the consequences when he pressed that button. In a beat of her pounding hearts she adjusted her aim and pulled the trigger. Gra'kath screamed in agony when the remote in his left hand disintegrated taking three of his fingers with it. Blood began to flow from the stumps forming a small pool on the floor. Trezka flashed him a malicious grin when he looked up, his worst nightmare becoming reality. Korso and Brian tightened the grip around the arms of Guadda and the other Gvort and put them in chains. Trezka took care of Gra'kath, forcing him to put on his own handcuffs. She didn't even want to touch that repulsive creature.

"All right, send the signal" Korso ordered.

Cale activated his wristcom. to send the _Valkyrie_ a signal that the coast was clear. The Republican cruiser would be warned that they were ready to pick up the slaves.

"Find out what that remote was for" Korso ordered.

"Speak up!" Trezka shouted at Gra'kath who curled up in the corner in fear.

"It was linked to this console" Akima said.

Her voice dripped with anger when she realized what it was meant to do.

"If he had pressed that button, he would have filled the place with a highly toxic nerve agent that would have killed within seconds."

Gra'kath wanted to disappear through the wall at the moment. He pressed himself even tighter against the bulkhead to stay as far away as possible from Trezka.

"Move" she grumbled, forcing him to get up with her gun.

Gra'kath staggered to his feet, shivering with fear as he walked in front of the Mantrin, carefully evading the dead bodies of his guards.

"You're going to pay for your crimes against the hundreds of people who have been locked up here. People like you disgust me."

Gra'kath turned around and fell on his knees in front of Korso.

"Please Captain" he moaned with his rough voice.

"Crimes. It's such a relative term, don't you agree? On my world slave trading is part of our culture. You can't arrest us based on cultural differences."

"Yeah, and on my world, eating _frogs_ for dinner is part of our culture" Trezka said sarcastically.

"Now move!"

As if she lit a fire under his butt he jumped up. With the three Gvort in chains, the crew of the _Valkyrie _walked back down the stairs to the destroyed marketplace. It was almost silent, except for the sparkling of dangling wires and hissing pipes. Gra'kath walked painfully slow driving Trezka mad, until she pushed him in the back with the muzzle of her gun.

"Keep moving!" she snarled.

"And don't try anything funny. Make one mistake and you won't live long enough to regret it."

At the moment her finger was almost begging her to pull that trigger. He was even willing to risk his own life to kill all of the people he had kept in his slave cages. She knew she would have killed him if Korso hadn't been here. Fortunately for Gra'kath it was not her decision to make.

Walking back to the docking area, they were greeted by small groups of slaves, their hunger for revenge satisfied by the destruction of the slave ship and the death of their captors. Some of them carried their brothers with them, who were too weakened to walk alone. The roaring crowd targeting their remaining anger at the three Gvort, walking in front of Trezka and the _Valkyrie_ crew in chains. Cursing them, spitting at them, they made them feel the humiliation they had felt. When they reached the docking ports, the Republican cruiser had already arrived and officers of the Republic were helping the surviving slaves to the safety of their ship. Finally their wounds could be taken care of, their illnesses cured and have a good meal in months. The Gvort were taken into custody by the officers of the ship and would never see freedom again.

"Good work sir. I think we've got them all" one of the officers from the Republican ship said before disembarking.

"Thank you Lieutenant, but this girl here did all the work" Korso said, patting Trezka on the back.

Trezka smiled.

"Glad I could help."

But when the officer wanted to close the docking port, the skinny Mantrin appeared in the opening and walked up to Trezka. His eyes had got some of their former shine back. The prospect that he could spend the rest of his life as a free man already had a positive effect on his health.

"Thank you, for what you did for us."

A tear rolled down his cheek.

"No big deal pal" Trezka said, putting her hand on his shoulder.

She was shocked to feel so much bone instead of the strong muscles she should have felt. He grabbed her arm and squeezed softly, staring in her eyes. Then he turned around and left. After the docking port depressurized and the cruiser undocked from the Soros there was no reason for the _Valkyrie_ crew to remain onboard. The ship was abandoned by anyone but them.

"I'd say the mission was a success. Now let's get back to Earth" Korso said.

Now that everything was fine, Trezka finally felt the stinging pain in her left leg. A laser had scorched her flesh and blood leaked down her leg on the floor.

"Damn it" she cursed.

She wiped off the blood with the tatters she was still wearing.

"You're injured" Akima said.

Her voice told her that this human really concerned herself with the well-being of others.

"Just a scratch" Trezka said, waving away her concern with a shrug.

"Let's see what we can do about it" Akima replied in a friendly way.

Back inside the shuttle, she let Cale fly it back to the _Valkyrie _which was floating on a small distance from the Soros, while she nursed Trezka's wound.

"Laser wounds can be nasty" she said, treating the Mantrin's leg with a tissue regenerator.

Trezka laughed.

"I've gotten used to it by now. I hope you've got a shower on board. I want to get out of these filthy clothes."

Taking a hot shower was something she wanted badly. The sweat and the filth of those cells that stuck to her body, and the smell of death hanging around her. And she had only spent _one hour_ there.

Back aboard the _Valkyrie_ they all headed back to the bridge first.

"Okay Gune, set a course back to Earth. Mission successful."

"Yes Captain" the alien said, taking over Akima's role for a change.

They all wanted to stick to Trezka's plan and take a shower first. But instead of going back to the quarters that had been arranged for her, the warrior woman decided to finish the job completely.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing?" Lieutenant Reese said when Trezka pushed him away from his console.

"I'm glad you asked. Finishing what we started." Powering the weapons with the touch of a button, the _Valkyrie_'s lasers and torpedoes were ready to fire within an instant.

The Soros was lying directly in front of the ship. Adjusting her aim to the correct spot she armed a spread of torpedoes.

"Time to kiss your butt goodbye" she muttered under her breath.

"Trezka no!" Korso tried to stop her.

But it was too late. With weapons locked on the slave ship's reactor, a spread of four torpedoes left the _Valkyrie_'s forward launch tubes, accompanied by a salvo of the laser cannons. With only minimal shielding protecting the Soros' aft section, the lasers ripped through the hull to make a hole for the torpedoes to detonate inside the ship. With a blinding flash of light the reactor breached and exploded taking the ship with it. Lasting for a few seconds, the only thing that remained was debris that collided with the shields that had been powered together with the weapons. She was satisfied with her solution even when Korso began to yell at her.

"Did I tell you that you could destroy that ship?" he asked with a harsh undertone in his voice.

"No, but it seemed like an appropriate solution to me. We can't just let it float there, now can we?" she simply said.

Korso sighed. Stith had also been quite trigger-happy but at least she asked if she could destroy something.

"You know what? Forget it. I'm not in the mood for getting mad."

"That's settled then" she said nonchalantly, leaving the bridge.

"I think I'm going to quit trying to understand their kind. Why do they always have to destroy everything?" he asked crossing his arms.

"It's in their nature" Akima replied.

"Let's go Cale."

"I'm going too. Gune? Why am I still not hearing warp engines?"

"Gune is steering clear of any debris first Captain."

"Of course."

Almost _feeling_ his ship turn around, Korso left the bridge. _Nice to be out among the stars again. _They did a good job today and he hoped the other Captains had done so as well. It was strange that he hadn't received another communiqué from Earth. It was likely to assume that Command already had another mission waiting for them.


	9. Chapter 6 The Admiral's Daughter

**The Admiral's Daughter**

His pure-blooded Akrennian heart was trying to escape right through his chest when the ship taking him and his girlfriend made the transition to normal space. Preed had never been so anxious to set foot somewhere before. Even the dark places where Korso had taken his ship for a stop couldn't scare him off but with Akrennia, his homeworld and the center of the Akrennian Empire lying directly in front of him and coming closer by the second he almost did it in his pants. He hadn't set foot on that planet's soil for more than a decade and surely a few things had changed from the way he remembered it. Ayko told him that her family lived in one of the wealthiest districts of the city of De'rahn. It was a large city on the edge of Akrennia's many deserts and close to more fertile soil used for farming and stockbreeding. Fortunately the city was lying far from the place where he grew up so there was a relatively small chance that anyone recognized him. Nonetheless, Preed wondered what awaited him down there.

Ayko had told him about the clan she was part of. Social status was perhaps the most important asset of Akrennian society and those with a higher social status had more influence on how things were done. The Trsh'ka clan was powerful and had many influential families within its boundaries. Preed wondered if they would except him and actually began to doubt it. If social status could be expressed into a number, he would have a big black zero tattooed on his head. He had close to nothing and Ayko's family had money and power, two things that were also highly valued by all members of his race and a direct result of their social status. He didn't have either of them and he wished he had more to offer to convince Ayko's father who was an Admiral in the military.

He looked aside to the tall brown-skinned Akrennian woman, still asleep with Jick'chii in her lap. There was no doubt that he loved her. This was not some girl he just happened to meet. Ayko was different and he had the feeling she cared for him too. _And by the Gods, she's beautiful. _A slender but strong build, long upstanding ears and the rather long and sharp horn between her nostrils. No, Ayko's muscular body didn't interfere with her femaleness. And she had a strong personality, a bit harsh sometimes but he could live with that. And those deep orange eyes, the color of the first rays of Akrennia's binary suns. The same suns that casted their shine through the filtered window on her face. Only for a moment. A sudden bump and a trembling that intensified over time started to shake him up as the transport descended through Akrennia's atmosphere. Outside the flames created by the friction between the hull and the tiny particles of air licked the ship on all sides, lighting up the interior with a warm orange glow. It began to warm up rapidly until life support adjusted the temperature inside to a more comfortable level. Jick'chii who had gone to sleep too woke up first. The Krach'thaa screeched loudly, enough to wake up her owner, who was on alert immediately.

"It's okay" she said, pulling Jick'chii against her chest.

She whispered a few soothing words to her pet, calming it down during the rough ride. Preed doubted that the creature had enough brains to understand what she was saying but some people just had something with pets. He was not one of those people.

Just a few moments later the ship plummeted into the habitable zone of Akrennia's atmosphere. The flames disappeared and through the window the surface of the Akrennian homeworld became visible. A few lonely clouds drifted into the sky around the ship which dove underneath and assumed an approach vector towards the city where Ayko lived. Preed studied the view for a moment before they were too low to get a good view. The city was large indeed with only a few tall structures that concentrated in the center. Larger residential districts surrounded these buildings with a few farmhouses outside the city. The houses featured a modern design but were made from very durable materials to withstand the sandstorms from the deserts next to the normal wear and tear. Akrennia was a desert planet so it didn't rain very often but if it did, a small flood was not uncommon. All that water had to come from a few small and one larger sea but it took a while to get to other areas by air. De'rahn was built on the edge of the desert and in a cooler climate. About one quarter of the city was even build inside the forest that spread itself into the other direction, away from the desert. To Preed it looked like a decent place to live. The transport was a small distance away from a landing pad on the space port when a crackling voice asked the passengers to prepare themselves to disembark. The moment the transport set down on the landing pad with a bump and the engines powered down Preed felt the anxiety again. That nasty feeling that he was going to meet the biggest humiliation of his life. _Okay, maybe the second biggest. _Ayko lifted Jick'chii from her lap and stood up. The Krach'thaa jumped and glided through the cabin of the transport until her paws touched the catwalk. She gave a soft squeal and purred softly.

"She's happy to leave this flying tin can" Ayko said with a laugh.

Preed didn't move an inch until Ayko urged him to go. Most of the other passengers had already left the ship and it wouldn't wait forever. Preed sighed and trailed after his beloved one to the open docking hatch on the left side of the ship. The moment he stepped outside onto the small stairs connected to the hatch he was bathing into the bright light of the Akrennian suns. Walking down the stairs he squinted against the light while his eyes adjusted. The air looked thicker and seemed slightly harder to breathe but that could also be a side-effect of the heat. When his boots made contact with solid ground he tried to control his breathing and let his body adjust to the change of environment. Temperatures on his homeworld reached in the forties range during summer time and this was one of the cooler zones. The equator was practically uninhabitable cause temperatures could reach the high seventies on average. Most major population centers were on the upper part of the northern hemisphere and the lower part of the southern. Preed could barely believe that this was his home.

"Preed!" Ayko snarled impatiently.

She shot him a look of disapproval and crossed her arms. Jick'chii started to sniff around a little, trying not to get stepped on by all the people coming from the transports. De'rahn's spaceport was quite large and close to the city so it would only take a walk to get to Ayko's place.

"I'm coming my dear" Preed replied, blinking a few times.

The light was so bright, or so it seemed. So much that he couldn't see the person in front of him until his face hit someone's back. The Akrennian in question, a rather tall and muscular type that didn't exactly look friendly turned around and shot him a filthy look. He roughly grabbed his shoulder and brought his face closer to his.

"Did your mother forget to give you eyes?"

Preed didn't reply. _Great. Home for a few minutes and I'm already in trouble._

"Well?" he barked.

Finally getting some sight back, Preed stared into the angry yellow eyes of the guy in front of him. His other fist was clenched and ready to beat the crap out of him. A rotten stench coming from his mouth blew him in the face when he breathed out.

"Ranakh, leave him alone" Ayko's calm voice said.

The Akrennian he now knew as Ranakh flicked an ear and turned around to see who withheld him from beating up his victim. He pushed Preed back and laughed.

"Ayko, where have you been? I hope you've got a good reason for staying away. Your father is as mad as a desert hornet."

Ayko simply waved away his remark.

"I've always got a good reason for doing things Ranakh."

Ranakh looked at Preed and frowned.

"Is that why I couldn't beat him up? What's with the guy?"

"That's none of your business" she replied.

"C'mon Preed. Let's go."

"Whaaa" Ranakh said indignantly.

He shook his head and left for one of the transports. After retrieving what little luggage they had brought with them they were off for the city. Ayko told him it wouldn't take long so Preed used these last few minutes to prepare for what was about to come. However he became distracted when they reached the first streets and a few moments later they were walking in the middle of the city that was bathing into Akrennia's hot afternoon suns. Jick'chii was going completely wild. The Krach'thaa squealed with joy and fluttered her wings. Other pedestrians had to be careful not to step on her tail or other body parts or it would get them a nasty and lethal bite. In contrast to most Krach'thaa's that were kept as pets, Jick'chii still had her poison-injecting teeth containing a powerful neural toxin. It was a risky decision cause an accidental bite could mean the death of the owner.

"She's glad to be free again" Ayko said smiling.

"Who was that guy?"

"Who Ranakh? Just an old acquaintance. We took classes together."

She smiled thinking about her experiences at public school.

"He wasn't exactly the smartest. Still isn't but I guess that's what you get when your muscles are bigger than your brain."

She frowned.

"But something's wrong with you too Preed. You're a dreamer and it's gotten worse lately."

"I'm just a little anxious to meet your parents, that's all" he replied indignantly.

Ayko chuckled. She had to admit that he was a weird one sometimes. But she truly had fun with him the past few weeks and no one was perfect so she could forgive him for that. They crossed a large marketplace where the members of their species were trying to sell their goods to all. The homeless begged for money and children begged their parents for toys and other junk they sold on places like these. The Akrennian race was known for being able to sell almost anything to anyone including the lives of others. Preed didn't want to think of such things at the moment. If Ayko's family didn't except him, he could very well be sold on a place like this.

After a small walk through the crowded streets of De'rahn, Preed, Ayko and Jick'chii arrived in one of the wealthier and quieter districts of the city. Only few people were outside here and the ones that did expose their bodies to the heat of the suns were obviously from a higher social standard. Their clothes and appearance betrayed that money wasn't the thing they had to be concerned about. Preed guessed that only the rich people could afford a house like the ones flanking the broad avenue connecting this part of the city to the center. It was in a big contrast to what they had seen a few minutes earlier.

"We're almost there" Ayko said.

Preed noticed that the few people they came across shot a stealthy look at him and Ayko when they walked past.

"_Surprised to see someone like me here" _Preed thought.

_Figures. I don't exactly look like I belong here._

"Well here we are" Ayko said turning around a corner.

Preed's mouth felt open when Ayko showed him her house. Even more detached from the other houses, Ayko's place could only be called a mansion. It was large, stylish and could only be owned by someone with a function as high as her father's. Preed felt himself becoming pretty small for a moment. Ayko told him she didn't exactly live small but he never expected it to be this big. Opening a small door in the gate around the house, she lifted Jick'chii from the ground and held her in her arms. The dragon-like animal howled softly.

"A little careful. My father keeps…"

Preed's stomach moved up into his throat.

"Ayko closed the barred metal door immediately, leaving Preed outside the gate."

Three barking and growling Akrennian desert dogs came out of nowhere and began moving in circles around Ayko. Baring their razor-sharp teeth they stayed low to the ground, strings of drool dripping from their beaks. It could only mean one thing. They were about to attack her. Ayko remained calm and stared down at the sand-colored dogs like they were newborn puppies.

"Hey, hey! It's me."

One of the animals, the biggest of the three slowly approached Ayko and sniffed. Then he barked happily and started to lick her outstretched hand, rapidly whipping his tail.

"Easy boy. Easy" Ayko said patting the dog's head.

The other two also jumped up to her, recognizing her smell. Jick'chii screeched in her arms. The Krach'thaa wasn't really fond of the dogs either. She looked at Preed.

"I think it's safe to come in" she said.

Preed was not so sure of that. He didn't like animals and would rather give Jick'chii a big hug than spend one minute with those dogs. But he didn't want to disappoint Ayko to show that he was a coward so he opened the gate and stepped into the front garden. The biggest of the three dogs immediately fixed his eyes on him and growled softly.

"Ah ah" Ayko said, shaking her head.

The animal sniffed Preed's hand first. The creature hesitated. It didn't recognize the smell so this was a stranger. Preed could have sworn that he heard the dog racking his puny little brain. Should he attack or not? Eventually it did just like Ayko did, give him the benefit of the doubt. The animal barked started covering his hand in drool.

"That's a good dog" she said.

"Now let's go. I think I kept father waiting long enough."

They approached the house via the front door. An electronic security lock kept the thieves out and any valuables in. Ayko retrieved a small card from her pocket which functioned as a more advanced way of identifying oneself. Such security systems were only installed in the houses of those who could afford it. Her father was a wealthy man and there were sure a lot of people who envied him for that. So much that they might even think about going into places where they shouldn't be. After inserting the card the red light near the slit turned green and the door opened with a click. Ayko pocketed the card and entered the house, the smell of home filling her nose.

"I'm back" she yelled, walking further through the small hall.

She dropped her luggage on the floor in the hall with a bang. Preed closed the door behind him, finding himself standing in the house of a wealthy man. Even if he hadn't known that his fiancée's father was an Admiral in the Akrennian Militia he could tell that. Expensive decorations and cultural artifacts adorned the walls. Preed felt himself become even smaller than before. He was even starting to feel the urge of leaving this place as quickly as possible. When he followed Ayko to the part of the house that made up the living area it became stronger, more like an instinctive reaction to all the exquisite items put up for display. He was startled when a sudden voice snapped him out of his stare.

"Miss Ayko. I'm glad you have decided to return. Is there something I can do for you?"

When Preed looked to find the owner of the voice he was surprised to find an older Akrennian, dressed neatly and carrying a tray with three empty glasses on it. _No. You can't be serious. _

"I just want to know where my father is Ujkan" Ayko replied.

"You've… you've got a slave?"

The words just escaped his mouth out of pure astonishment. Akrennians practically never used members of their own race as slaves anymore. Only as a means of severe punishment to a crime or when you had absolutely nothing left but your own hide. Ayko let out a laugh.

"Not a slave. He's our servant. He's even allowed to sleep in our house and he gets payed."

"I didn't believe I had the honour to meet you before mister?..."

"Preed."

"Mister Preed."

He noticed the guy's look slipping from his face to his missing left ear and the metal plate replacing part of his skull. He frowned for a second when he studied the mutilation but turned his head to Ayko. Preed couldn't blame for that. It was what most people did when they first met him. But he still came to think of it as rather annoying. It reminded him of bad times when he didn't have the money for cranial reconstruction.

"My father" Ayko urged.

"Yes ma'am. Your father is… standing over there" he said nodding.

When Preed's eyes met those of Ayko's father he felt his inside becoming cold. The Akrennian man standing about a meter away from him looked just like Ayko. Tall, with a dark brown skin, the same deep orange eyes and well muscled. He wore casual clothing but it still inclined to something more formal, more acceptable to wear for someone of his position. But it were the eyes that caught him by surprise. How could someone with the exact same eyes as the woman he loved have such an icy stare? It lasted only for a moment and then he did the thing he feared most. He completely, utterly ignored him. He just directed the icy stare at his daughter and acted like the newcomer was invisible. A tiny crack appeared in Ayko's always present self-confidence but it was enough to frighten her. She was afraid to look her father directly in the eyes and turned her look down, to the height of his chest. With a voice that had lost some of its strength and authority she began to speak.

"Father you must know, I've had my reasons for not returning to Akrennia immediately. I'm also well aware of the fact that I made a mistake. I should have died in battle with the ship but apparently the Gods had different plans for me. I know I have failed father and I except punishment for my mistakes."

She was silent for moment before she looked up. Her father was still looking down on his daughter, not moving an inch. Ayko though that he was going to get mad. But instead, the stinging slap across her face that followed jolted her. She didn't show that he had hurt her, but he did for sure. He scoffed.

"You think you can just walk in here and act like nothing happened?"

His voice sounded full of restrained anger. It was almost like his own daughter disgusted him at the moment.

"Do you realize what you have done?" he snarled.

"What that little stunt of yours cost me?"

Ayko didn't reply. She could almost feel his anger. It was radiating from every inch of his body, overwhelming her in waves.

"Two weeks ago I heard you were still alive" he continued.

"You should have heard them talking when you decided to have a little holiday. 'Rynta's daughter's gone off with some guy on the human homeworld'. The shame I had to go through. You think that's funny?" he shouted, the spittle flying from his beak.

Ayko didn't move and didn't dare to speak let alone protest. It was true, at least partially. Having fun with Preed before taking him home had been her plan but he was not 'some guy'. Her father probably wouldn't understand, especially if he found out that Preed had been an outcast until she picked him out of the trash. If she told him that, another scandal was born and her father would explode.

"You have disgraced yourself and the family's name in the eyes of everyone, including the Gods! You should be more ashamed of yourself than anyone who has ever lived on this planet!"

An uncomfortable silence stretched itself out over the living room. It lasted for a good couple of seconds until Ayko finally opened her mouth. Ashamed? For being in love? As she expected he didn't know what was going on and she was going to tell him.

"Father, that's not true."

Rynta crossed his arms.

"Speak!" he spat.

"I've fallen in love with Preed here. I've never met anyone quite like him. He's not some guy!"

His daughter's sincerity about the matter caused Rynta to finally turn his attention to the uninvited guest. He squinted and sniggered.

"And who are you exactly? From which clan are you?"

Ayko suddenly found herself in a cold sweat. Her father was about to discover that Preed was actually more of a nobody. She just couldn't find any other word for it. But despite his low social status, there's was something about him. She was undoubtedly attracted to this guy. Preed felt the same but he didn't know what to say for a moment. Just claiming he loved Ayko didn't earn him the respect of her father. He had to come up with something or he was done for.

"Sister, sister, what have you gotten yourself into this time?"

Two more Akrennians entered the room. A man, about Ayko's age but slightly smaller and a woman that was obviously her mother. Her skin was of a lighter shade and her eyes tended more towards yellow than those of her children and mate. But the guy looked a lot like her and called her his sister.

"_She has a brother?"_ Preed thought.

He had to keep his mouth from falling open in astonishment. She never told him that. Ayko's brother spotted him and frowned.

"Who is this guy?" he asked as if he were looking at an abomination in person.

"Someone you do not need to concern yourself with Sokarr, so shut up!" Ayko bit back.

"Oh Ayko" her mother said, embracing her daughter.

"Wow, at least someone is glad that I'm still alive" Ayko scoffed.

"I was so afraid that I´d lost my beautiful daughter" she said, pressing her tightly against her.

Preed was just glad that the other members of Ayko's family delayed the painful answer he was about to give Ayko's father. Maybe it was time to make an appeal to his astounding ability to tell lies. But that could be a fatal mistake. Even Ayko penetrated the lie he once told her about his former life with ease. There was a pretty good chance that she inherited that ability from her father. He had to try something. Ayko´s mother stroke her daughter´s cheeks. She couldn´t believe that her daughter was standing in front of her, alive and well after she heard what happened. She slowly turned around to face her mate, a trickle of anger slipping into her voice.

"Can't you just be glad that our daughter has safely returned?"

Rynta almost snapped. He barely managed to restrain himself from smacking her in the face.

"Silence! No one asked for your opinion about the matter!" he hissed.

Dreya dropped her head with a dismayed gesture. She knew how violent her husband could get if she didn't show him the proper respect.

"Yes Rynta. Forgive me."

She took position beside her husband and remained quiet. Rynta grumbled and continued.

"About you, Preed" he said, stretching out his name.

It was if he wanted to taste it on his tongue to find out if it had something impure in it.

"Where were we? Ah yes. Your clan?"

"_All right, here we go" _Preed thought.

"I left my former clan a long time ago. I felt it didn't offer me the opportunity I needed to achieve something greater."

The sweat was running down from his webbed armpits as he was nailed to the cool stone floor in front of the Admiral. Rynta stared at him, like a snake, ready to attack at the moment he made the fatal mistake. But he hadn't struck yet so Preed continued.

"I started a little business of my own."

He leeringly looked at Ayko.

"But I gave it all up just for this woman."

Ayko's father frowned, wondering if he should believe this total stranger who walked into his house claiming his daughter was the woman worth dying for. He could swear he had heard the name Preed before. He didn't know where but that person wasn't exactly known for his achievements. But so what. Preed wasn't an uncommon name. There were hundreds of Preeds on Akrennia alone. He decided to give this one the benefit of the doubt.

"A business eh? What kind of?" he asked, narrowing his eyes to slits.

"Weapons" Preed replied almost immediately.

Stith was the first person that jumped into his mind when he thought about lucrative businesses. She once told the rest of the crew that she ran a weapon shop on Solbrecht once. It was profitable, especially in times of war and of course there were plenty of idiots that wanted to buy weapons for their own private ends. Rynta chuckled.

"Weapons eh? I guess that explains why your left ear went up in smoke."

Preed instinctively reached for his missing left ear. Of course that couldn't go unnoticed.

"And what were you doing on the human homeworld? Don't tell me there's already a civil war going on down there."

_Couldn't the guy just quit asking questions? _Of course he didn't fully trust the whole thing but this was getting annoying.

"No but as you might know sir, the humans are not exactly a loved people by everyone. Nearly extinct by the Drej and now that they had a homeworld again, those Machines decided to exterminate _their_ species first. If it weren't for us and several other races, the only way to see a human now would be, to go to a museum. I was merely looking for another profitable market."

Rynta laughed loudly. But the tone of his laugh made Preed feel slightly more comfortable. He had the feeling he did it.

"I think I'm starting to like you Preed" Rynta said on a jovial tone.

"Honestly, who wants to be part of a clan that doesn't even know _how _to become something greater? I know who you are. You're an opportunist. You wait for the right opportunity to present itself and then…"

He snapped his fingers.

"… you make the deal. I like people like you."

He paused and bowed closer to the man he was starting to like.

"But what makes you think I let you marry my daughter and let you into the Trsh'ka clan?"

"I…I eh."

For a moment Preed was at a loss of words. It didn't last long but it was enough for Ayko to intervene.

"Because I love her."

"And because he saved my life" Ayko firmly interrupted the discussion.

Speechless wasn't the right word for Rynta's current state. It looked more like he lost his tongue.

"Twice actually" she added with the same aggressiveness.

It didn't leave room for objections from her father's side, if he were able to speak. Even Sokarr and Dreya were staring at him. A faint smile crept along his predator-like face but in his mind he was laughing out loud. _Of course! _He hadn't even thought about that. He saved her and the remaining survivors of the _Tsun'rhaa_'s crew from a horrible death. In addition he prevented the murder of his Captain and girlfriend by her treacherous First Officer Kryfar. He nearly killed her but thanks to the quick action of the Starfleet medical personal aboard Jason's USS _Highlander_ she was still among the living. If it weren't for him Kryfar would have succeeded.

"No way" Sokarr brought out.

He spoke the words his father wasn't capable of saying. He just stared at him, his beak falling open. When he finally did speak the words came haltingly.

"Is… Is this… true?" he stammered.

"I'm afraid so" Preed confirmed, shrugging.

Rynta stuttered a few distorted words, obviously part of a curse of some kind. This strange one-eared guy? Saved his daughter from death, twice?

"_Impossible" _he thought.

But the more he thought about it, the more it came to him that it had to be true. Why would they make something like this up?

"All right" he sighed.

"Give me some time to adjust to the fact that I owe you, a total stranger to me and my family."

Preed couldn't resist smirking. He had the guy where he wanted him to be and judging by the smile Ayko flashed him when her father couldn't see it, she agreed.

"Just… Just get out of my eyes. Go and play somewhere else."

Rynta headed back to the backyard of the house, followed by his son and wife. Ayko laughed softly and Ujkan winked. She had always been on the old servant's good side. She viewed him as a friend and their friendship was mutual.

"C'mon" she said girlishly, pulling Preed's arm.

"Where are we going?" he asked, bewildered be her sudden enthusiasm.

"My room" she said mysteriously.

Following her upstairs he wondered what this was all about. Ever since she lost her ship she acted differently. Or maybe that was because he was now really her mate-to-be.

He finally realized what this was all about when he was lying on his back on her big soft bed with her lying on top of him, her lips pressed on his. Engaged in a wild dance of love both of them only wanted each other for now.

"That was a good move down there" she panted, grabbing his face.

"You helped me out of there" Preed replied in the short moment before he had his tongue being massaged by hers again.

"I just had to shut him up!" she replied fiery.

"You never told me you had a brother" Preed said grabbing her shoulders to hold her off.

"Oops."

She slapped away his arms and pressed her lips on his again. They continued this for a while until they were both exhausted and didn't have the strength to continue. Preed was lying next to his girlfriend on the bed, staring at the ceiling, holding her hand in his.

"Ayko?"

"Hmm?" she replied, licking her lips.

"Where is the other you?"

She frowned and turned her head to face him directly.

"What do you mean?"

"You are different then you were before, when we first met."

Ayko went silent for a moment's notice.

"You want _her _back?"

"I'm not sure. I'm still deciding which side of you I like the most."

She chuckled. She knew exactly what he meant. She ran a tight ship and didn't make exceptions, even for her boyfriend. But that Ayko, the female military Captain was on temporary leave so he had to do it with the sweet girl.

"Come and get her then" she challenged him.

"I don't think I have the strength for another round" Preed replied with a laugh.

He sure got himself some girl. She was so different from all the other girls he met. He knew she was the right one. He didn't see that with his eyes but felt it with his heart. There were sure people who didn't think he had a heart but he knew better. And it was this woman who had lit it, until it burned like a sun and only for her.

"Do you think you get a new ship soon?" he asked.

"I don't think, I know it" she laughed.

"Father can't stand having me around all day cause I'll drive him crazy, especially now that I have you."

She licked his cheek.

"What do you wanna do until that day comes?" She smiled and her voice had a mysterious undertone when she replied.

"Have fun."

"Another round , my tab!" Ayko's voice yelled through the pub, provoking a loud collective cheer from all the attendants.

She and Preed were sitting at the bar of the most popular nightclubs in the city of De'rahn. That is, to the rich people. It was a typical Akrennian pub like many ones scattered around the city but with a couple of exotic extras that only the ones with the money could afford. An outside heated swimming pool, large gambling area and a couple of Jacuzzis where just a few things that could keep the average guest celebrate and enjoy oneself until next morning. Enjoying one of the best glasses of Akrennian ale he ever tasted, Preed felt himself becoming slightly lightheaded. Ayko apparently was more used to drinking large quantities of the typical Akrennian beverage as she emptied glass after glass. He couldn't blame her. This was the good stuff. Not the cheap rip-offs that had to go through for real at outposts as you find them all over the galaxy. But he had to admit, that bartender on New Earth sure got it close to being perfect. Not entirely, as a good ale could only be drunk in a pub on the surface of the Akrennian homeworld, but almost. This was his first night here since many years and Preed didn't feel completely at home yet. Maybe that had something to do with the amount of time between his last visit and his return. It could also be the fact that he got himself involved with an entirely different sort of people here. No matter where he looked he spotted people wearing clothes made of rare fabric and wearing expensive pieces of jewelry like earrings and necklaces. He felt a little like being the odd man out.

"_Maybe I should have that metal plate replaced by a solid gold one" _he thought, emptying his glass.

He didn´t think Rynta would like that. He also had his doubts with Ayko spending her father´s money like water but at least she was enjoying herself. He yawned. It was already deep in the Akrennian night and he had expected to have a little trouble adjusting to the Akrennian timetable. He stood up, leaving his glass for what it was and turned to Ayko.

"Wait a sec Preed" she said.

By the tone of her voice he could say she was already past tipsy. She was talking to a bunch of guys who were enjoying the conversation with her. A little too much for Preed's liking actually. Especially when one of them, the pervert, flung her arm around her neck and kissed the lips only he was allowed to kiss. At least, he thought that.

"What do you think you're doing?"

It was out before he realized it. Preed abruptly kept his mouth shut when the Akrennian messing with his girlfriend shot him a filthy look.

"Hey Ayko, who is this punk?" he said, looking at the person who dared to interrupt him, like he was something dirty under his boot.

"Relax Khiosa" she said, pushing him away.

Khiosa stood up and straightened his back. Being a good head taller and in much better physical condition than him, Preed figured he didn't have much of a chance if this came to a one-to-one fight. He felt the comforting weight of the decorated blade in the sheath around his waist but Khiosa hadn't forgot his knife either. Around his thick muscular neck hung a necklace with the symbol of the Akrennian God of War pressed in solid gold. Khiosa had his eyes fixed on his next possible victim and laughed maliciously.

"You've got some nerve. Talking to me like that."

The big sharp-toothed grin that followed nearly split his face in two. A couple of people around them had fallen silent, closely following what happened.

"To answer your question Khiosa…" Ayko said, slamming her glass on the bar walking towards him.

She flung an arm around Preed's neck and kissed him long and passionately in front of Khiosa's eyes that were bulging out of the sockets in disbelief.

"… this 'punk' happens to be my boyfriend Preed."

Khiosa's friends were now openly staring at them too. They could hardly believe their eyes and ears. The smoking cigarette one of them had between his teeth dropped on the table. Khiosa's mouth dropped open, then snapped shut. He muttered a curse of some kind, then turned to the one-eared Akrennian who kissed the girl he had an eye on. He threw his arms in the air in indignation.

"Ayko you can't be serious. The guy has loser written all over him."

Ayko gave him an icy stare.

"_How dare you to question my choice of men?"_ she thought.

He stuttered in pure powerlessness.

"You'd choose him over me? I thought we had something together?"

"Think again Khiosa" Ayko replied coolly.

Khiosa returned to his seat, grumbling and cursing but not without shooting Preed one last wolfish grin.

"_I'll get you for this"_ he thought, grinding his teeth in anger.

Preed first though he recognized a challenge in that last look but he sure was glad that Khiosa didn't take it outside for a duel.

"C'mon, you should try those Jacuzzis" Ayko said, spending no more time on the matter.

She was already pulling his arm to drag him with her but he suddenly felt tired.

"Ayko, I think I'm gonna get some air. Please go and enjoy yourself but, I think I'm gonna turn in early tonight."

She smiled mysteriously.

"You wanna continue the party at home?"

She brought her lips closer to his.

"You wanna explore the bed sheets with me together, is that it?"

"If you…"

"It's all right" she said softly, their lips locking together.

She broke off, her eyes finding his.

"You go. I have to see some people first. Better prepare yourself cause if I get home its gonna get rough."

Preed laughed.

"See if I can cobble up the strength for that. I'm waiting for you."

She playfully grabbed his beak and squeezed softly.

"I'm coming for you."

Leaving him she scanned the pub until she found what she was looking for, a couple of girls in the back of the pub. _At least there are no boys involved_. Not that he didn't trust her but that Khiosa guy still managed to kiss her.

"Must be the alcohol" he thought.

Turning around he headed for the exit of the awfully warm establishment. Stepping through the door, greeted by the cool air of the Akrennian night and three of the planet's seven moons casting their shine on the partially sleeping city he let out a sigh of relief. Too quickly, as he hadn't noticed that Khiosa and his boys had stood up from their places and followed him outside. It wasn't really dark as the moons provided his Akrennian eyes with enough light to see adequately at the moment. The few lonely clouds drifting into the further clear sky weren't enough to block the light reflecting off their surfaces. The streets were empty. He spotted the headlights of vehicles in the distance but nothing close. Except from the pub's music it was almost completely silent. He took a deep breath, the clean air rinsing out the cigarette smoke nested in his lungs. He had just walked a few steps in the direction he remembered to be the route to Ayko's mansion when a familiar voice held him back.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Khiosa sneered.

The three friends he had brought with him laughed. They clearly had him outnumbered and he had nowhere to go. And now he didn't have his girlfriend to protect him.

"What do you want?" Preed asked already knowing the answer.

Khiosa laughed. It was a mean and piercing laugh that sent the chills down his spine. He was definitely in trouble.

"C'mon, even you are not that stupid."

The tone of his voice and the expression of his face suddenly turned serious.

"You think you can pull a stunt like that and walk away with it?" he snarled.

He took a few steps towards him. Preed however didn't give way to his intimidating moves and kept standing in the exact same spot, staring up in the eyes of his opponent that glittered viciously.

"I think Ayko made her choice."

"Exactly" Khiosa shouted.

"How could she? I'm in every way better than you are. You are nothing! How could she turn me down over a piece of low level trash?"

"You need to quit showering people when you try to make a point" Preed said, wiping off his face.

He stared back into Khiosa's face, the eyes that met his sparkling with anger. He grabbed Preed by his shirt and pulled him against his face.

"Are you trying to be funny? Cause I'm not laughing."

"_It's not my fault that you are one of those people without a sense of humor_" Preed thought.

If he said that out loud it would almost certainly earned him a blow against his head. Khiosa let Preed go and took a few steps back.

"Can we kill him?" one of his friends asked.

He seemed very eager to do it himself and already reached for his blade.

"No, he's mine" Khiosa replied with the same wolfish grin as before.

His hand shot to his sheath. A moment later the light of the moons reflected off the shiny blade of his personal weapon. The decorated blade with the crest of his clan. All Akrennians had one of these, handmade by themselves and each with a unique design. So did Preed who revealed his own weapon. The crest of his former clan would soon be replaced by that of the Trsh'ka clan but the weapon itself remained the same. The dual-bladed design with the split tips, elegant but deadly was entirely his own. Holding it firmly in front of him the weapon gave him confidence and strength for the upcoming fight. He had fought Kryfar, Ayko treacherous First Officer twice before with this weapon. Kryfar, being a soldier had been trained in hand-to-hand combat just like he was when he was still an officer in the Akrennian Militia. He didn't know if Khiosa had any experience in knife-fighting but judging by the look on his face he was already celebrating his victory.

"C'mon! You and me. Let's see if you are really worthy of such a beautiful girl."

Preed bowed through his knees, placing his feet slightly further apart from each other to assume a steady position. He didn't let the laughter of Khiosa's friends distract him. He only had eye for his opponent. There was no one to keep them from cutting each other to pieces so he was on his own. _Okay, mistakes are fatal. He sure's not going to spare me. _

"That's it! Fight!"

There was no clear starting signal but Preed and Khiosa began turning circles around each other, their knives ready to cut out each other's intestines. Khiosa smirked and was really showing off to impress his friends. His overconfidence was his weakness. Preed had seen his move and blocked the sudden advance with his own blade. The clattering of metal on metal was all around him when he blocked Khiosa's first set of fast strokes. Suddenly he dove under the lashing blade using his smaller size to evade, then put force behind his own weapon to attack. But he had to admit Khiosa wasn't bad either, blocking with both arms around the hilt of his weapon. The blades scraped across each other, both Akrennians biting their teeth while putting as much force as they were capable off behind their knives.

"Good" Khiosa grumbled.

"But not good enough."

With all of his attention diverted to the glittering blade in front of him, Preed didn't see the knee coming that bashed into his stomach. He doubled over and did a few steps back. Clamping his stomach he wheezed heavily, his breath coming in jerks. _Jeez that guy sure is strong._ Biting his teeth he realized he had to recover quickly or it would all be over sooner than anticipated.

"Weakling. What's the matter metalhead? Not winning as easily as you thought you would? I just can't quite figure out what she sees in you."

The anger reached the boiling point. Forgetting his pain Preed burst into a series of lighting fast attacks. His opponent had trouble keeping up but sure knew how to fight. A tiny mistake however was enough for Preed to find an opening in his defense. He felt delighted and part of his anger satisfied when the blade found the resistance it was looking for in the form of soft flesh. The loud scream that echoed through darkness of the street was his cue to stop the attack for now. Khiosa was standing about a meter in front of him, clamping the deep cuts in his left arm and across his chest. Blood began to soak his ripped shirt as it flowed out of the wounds.

"Are you all right Khiosa?"

"Fine!"

"You'll pay dearly for this" he spat at Preed, looking at his hand that was covered in blood.

"Right now!"

In a fraction of a second he was back into the fight and on the offensive. Strengthened by his rage and the adrenaline surging through every vein he pushed Preed back further and further until he was standing with his back against the wall on the other side of the street. Preed who was weakened by the blow to his stomach couldn't keep up with this demonstration of strength and speed. A fiery hot lance of pain penetrated his leg when Khiosa's knife found its target. Everything went black for a moment when Khiosa rammed his fist against his face and his head hit the wall with a clang from the metal plate integrated into his skull. He heard his knife dropping to the floor when his entire body lost strength. When the stars dancing in front of his face had disappeared he vaguely noticed that Khiosa's hand around his neck was the only thing that prevented him from collapsing to the ground. It were his murderous eyes he was looking into when his blurry vision cleared up.

"I'm afraid you lost" he said, with an evil smirk.

"So it would seem" Preed replied groggily, the blood dripping from his nose.

This time there was no escape and no one to help him. He lost and payed with his life.

"Don't you get it?" Khiosa sneered.

"Does it occur to you that you never had any chance of winning? Even if you did manage to get past me there were still three other guys."

He laughed malevolently.

"Well it seems that plate of metal didn't help to improve the sturdiness of you head. One blow and you're already starting to lose your ability to speak."

His friends laughed with him in the distance. It looked like it was coming from a distance of miles.

"Well let's get this over with. It's time to finish this."

The hot lance of pain returned but this time a hundred times more intense when Khiosa's knife pierced right through his stomach area. Released from the firm grip holding him in his place he slowly collapsed to the ground, the blood forming a small puddle near his powerless body. Khiosa's vicious laughter died away when he sank deeper and deeper into an endless black void. Desperately clinging to life, hanging on by a mere threat the last thing that crossed his mind was the face of the girl he loved.


	10. Chapter 7 Tears of Grief

**Tears of Grief**

Shezu carefully stepped through the forest staying on her brother Reyan's tail, on alert for anything hostile that might show up on her mental radar. Having a mental connection to the others, no matter how faint had its drawbacks. The strong emotions like the grief and anger they were all experiencing jumped over to her. Despite the fact that she tried to suppress her own emotions, those of the others who obviously didn't, stirred up her own. She could vaguely sense each of her brothers and sisters, especially the young Reylyn. Poor little girl was so strongly affected by the loss of her father, her home and everything she loved and was familiar with that it affected them all. _Be strong Reylyn. Don't listen to your brother. It might have looked and felt that way but I'm sure that father is still alive._

Concentrating on the environment, she blocked out all the violent emotions and decreased the strength of her connection to the others until it was just enough to sense them. They were only adding to her headache. The aftereffects of that strange grenade had left her with an annoying feeling in her head. It felt like her head split in two when that thing detonated. And their hearing was already so sensitive. What kind of people would use such a thing on children? She was pretty sure those soldiers wouldn't hesitate to use lethal force if necessary.

"So you think he's still alive?" Reyan asked, breaking the silence between them.

He climbed over a fallen tree, reaching for his sister's hand to help her up.

"I'm not sure" Shezu replied, taking it.

Jumping down from the tree she looked at her brother.

"I couldn't sense him dying. I couldn't sense his spirit escaping his body but then I couldn't sense anything. I was too preoccupied with carrying out his last wishes. I had to get Reylyn and Fran out of there."

Reyan didn't reply and walked on, his sister following him. Then he stopped and looked her in the eyes.

"You know, I'm sorry, for what I did back there. I…I didn't want to harm you, or anyone else for that matter."

"Forget it. It's okay."

Shezu paused. Did she hear something? Or was it just an animal? Something scuffled between the leaves of the trees. _Never mind._

"But please Reyan, try to be more careful with directing your anger. You could seriously harm one of us."

Reyan sighed, ploughing through the dirt with the claws of his right foot.

"I'll try, I promise."

He continued on his way to wherever it was they were going. None of them knew what was out here in these forests. Sogowa was a large planet and most of its surface was covered by them. Her father told her that their race lived in the forest of their original homeworld for a long time before they learned how to use technology. After that, they rapidly developed into a more advanced civilization but many still lived in a simple and primitive way. She was taught that many primitive people still lived in the forests they were moving through. She hoped that they were friendly and didn't mistake them for prey when they passed through their hunting grounds by accident. The thought of being eaten by a cannibalistic tribe of her own people was more than enough to send the chills down her spine. But she had to keep thinking straight. Her father hadn't told them much about surviving in the forest and if they didn't pay constant attention, they could walk right into an ambush unnoticed of however it was trying to catch them.

"I'm sorry sir, our scanners can't seem to find them" the soldier standing in front of him panted.

Treji stared down at him with his arms crossed. It was bad enough that they had been allowed to escape and now they had lost them. Gone without a trace. The worst thing was that he would likely be the one to be blamed for it. He had them in his sights. Ready to shoot them and render them unconscious. _They're just children for Kirliya's sake!_ These forests were extremely large and if they already found a way to fool their scanners using their little mind tricks they had a serious problem.

"Then don't use the scanner! Use your eyes for a change! Don't tell me they've stopped working too!"

"Yes sir" he replied laboriously.

With his commanding officer's eyes piercing in his back he walked back into the forest. This whole search operation was starting to get on Treji's nerves. More teams had joined the effort but they were ordered to join the next nightshift too. Clenching his teeth he growled softly. They couldn't stay awake forever. As soon as the sun got down they would be on them. They would hunt them down in the middle of the night and catch them when they were most vulnerable: When they were asleep.

Walking through the forest for more than an hour now, Shezu and Reyan began to feel tired. It was exhausting because the terrain wasn't flat in the least. Large hills and rock formations patterned the surface of Sogowa. Flat terrain was less common and mostly made up the plains not the forests. They hadn't found any water yet and they hadn't heard anything from their brothers and sisters. Shezu knew about her enhanced abilities but the combination of the heat and the long walk began taking its toll. Her mouth felt dry, all the fluids began to leave her body via her skin and the thirst was just killing her. She and Reyan had already tried putting out their shirts but the humid warm climate made it even more difficult for their bodies to release their heat. Her silver-streaked golden hair and clothes were soaked with sweat and stuck to her body. She was beginning to wonder how those primitive people survived in these forests with these temperatures. Just when she couldn't take it anymore her ears picked up the sound of running water. Pricking her ears to find the direction where the sound was coming from, they both came to the same conclusion.

"Shezu look" Reyan said, walking into the direction his ears pointed out.

Her Sogowan brother began walking faster in excitement. Following him, they eventually came to a halt near a small stream. The water looked clear and without trying to find out if it was indeed clean enough to drink, both Reyan and Shezu put their muzzles into the cold water and drank. They drank like they'd never done before. Very greedy, only to stop until their tummy's were about to burst. Wiping off his mouth, Reyan let himself fall down in the grass and laughed. Shezu laughed with him.

"I think I've never drunk so much before" he said.

"No I think not" she replied with a giggle.

"I'm sending the others in our direction, they're not far off. Fortunately we didn't go in completely opposite directions."

Closing her eyes to keep the environment from distracting her she established contact. They appeared as blips on her metal radar, their directions as clear as on a map. It didn't exactly work like that, it was more like a compass but she found them, all of them. Telepathically she sent them the message that fresh water was found. Now they just had to wait until they arrived. Sitting in the grass, near the stream that somewhere split up from a river, Shezu and her brother watched the water flow by. It almost had a musical rhythm to it for those who listened carefully.

"Do you think this stream ends somewhere?" she asked.

"Maybe a lake or something" Reyan replied letting the three toes of his left foot touch the surface of the water.

It was nice and cold and it tickled making him chuckle. It didn't take long before his sister let her foot sunk into the water as well. They just sat for a moment until Fran and Syndar turned up following exactly the same procedure as she and Syndar did when they spotted the water. Fran cried with joy, his whole head wet and his shirt soaked with water when he let himself fall down next to his sister.

"Boy I was thirsty sister" he said, shaking his head and spraying the water all over her.

"Hey, you're making me all wet" she replied with a laugh.

"Well I sure had enough to drink but we should go and look for something to eat" Syndar said, looking around.

That would prove another problem. Having absolutely zero experience with surviving in the woods, they didn't know what they could safely put in their beaks without getting sick. They were just going to have to try and learn for themselves. It didn't take long before the others turned up too. They were all sweating and tired from the long walk but at least they all made it safely to here. Shezu noticed that the sweat on Reylyn's face was mixed with tears. The Orketh girl had been crying again. Fortunately Eyza was there to comfort her. The silent Sonowan girl had a sweet character and had taken good care of her little sister. After drinking enough they had to come up with a new plan. The sun was already passing its highest point and they still hadn't found a good place to sleep, or anything to eat.

"What do we do?" Pynch asked, looking at his brothers and sisters.

Neither one of them had a definite plan but Reyan and Shezu decided to take a look at what was at the end of the stream. Maybe they could find something to eat there. And so they decided to find out. But they made the right choice. After walking for about twenty minutes they arrived at the most gorgeous place they could think off. In the middle of the forest, partially enclosed by rock formations, they arrived at a beautiful lake. The bright light of the sun reflected off the surface of water so clear, they could see all the way down to the bottom, no matter where they looked. It was home to colorful fish and other kinds of water animals.

"Wow, it's beautiful" Jicko said, running down to the bank.

He carefully tried the water with his toe. In contrast to the stream, it wasn't as cold.

"Hey, maybe we can swim and play here" he said looking over the lake.

"Maybe you should try if it's safe" Syndar replied.

He stepped up behind his brother and pushed him. Jicko didn't expect the sudden push in his back and fell into the water at full-length, a cry escaping his beak. Fran rolled over with laughter and so did the others. It pleased Shezu to see that even Reylyn laughed with them. It was the first time she had seen her laugh since they left home. Pushing himself up, completely soaked, Jicko turned around with a tug.

"Did I say you could push me?" he said angrily.

"No, but it seemed funny to me" Syndar replied shaking with laughter.

"Maybe there's a scary monster in the water" Pynch said.

"If that were true he probably would have eaten your brother for lunch by now" Reyan added.

Everyone laughed except Jicko but eventually he was caught in it. So much that it didn't take long before he grabbed the unsuspecting Syndar by his arm and pulled his brother with him. Syndar was brought out of balance by the sudden pull and overcame the same fate as his victim.

"Well the water sure is nice" he admitted, shaking his head, his ears flapping around.

"C'mon in guys, its warm."

Encouraged by his words, the others decided to give it a try. It was a nice opportunity to cool off and forget about what happened, even if just for a moment. After half an hour, Shezu and Reyan decided that playtime was over. They still needed to get some work done before sundown.

"Okay, so we need food and material to build a fire" Syndar summarized.

"The latter won't be a problem" Reyan replied.

Lifting his arms he spread out his fingers and aimed his hands at a nearby tree.

"See that tree? I'll cut it down."

Already collecting the psycho-kinetic energy, he prepared to launch it at that same tree. The blast would be powerful enough to send it down to the ground.

"Don't" Shezu said, grabbing his right arm and pushing it down.

It was already enough to agitate him but when he saw the look in her eyes he lowered the other one too.

"I think you've noticed how exhausting it is to keep using your energy like that. Spare it for later, when you really need it. Let's find ourselves some twigs for now. It'll do fine."

With a sigh he reluctantly agreed.

"Okay, you're the boss" he said.

With a last shrug he disappeared into the bushes.

"Hey, I never said that" she called after him.

She shook her head. Reyan was always a little agitated when someone doubted his skills. But she didn't do that. She only advised him to spare his energy in case of an emergency. _He needs to work on his attitude._

"Let's go guys."

With the others on her tail she followed in Reyan's footsteps into the forest, marking the lake on her metal radar. It would be a good place to set up camp. An abundance of fresh water and a good place to sleep on the soft grass.

"But what can we eat sister? I'm hungry" Reylyn said.

"We'll find something Reylyn. Don't worry."

She softly stroke the girl's head. Using her instincts to guide them she eventually found something useful, not far from the lake. Bushes with berries hanging on their branches. Big red berries. When the children saw them they were attracted to them like flies to syrup. But she warned them to be careful. If they got sick there would be no one to help them. It could be dangerous.

"But I'm so hungry" Pynch begged her.

"I'll try" Shezu said, stepping towards their possibly lethal meal.

"But what if you get sick?" Syndar asked.

The issue was eventually resolved by a smacking Reyan. Juice dripped from his beak that was now colored red.

"C'mon guys, they're delicious" he said between two chews.

Shezu sighed.

"Okay, that solves one problem."

Picking one from the nearest branch she stuck it in her mouth. She welcomed the sweet taste, the soft juicy experience when she bit through the thin peel. Reyan was right. They were tasty indeed. It would do for now but they couldn't use these as a primary source of food. They needed to find additional food sources. But for now the children could only think about filling their bellies with as much of the fresh fruit as possible. With their tails wagging in excitement they put the berries in their beaks with both hands. They were so caught up in eating that they didn't hear the other visitor with the empty stomach coming. Only this creature wasn't interested in berries. It didn't get through to them until a loud snort followed by low growling reached the ears of Pynch. He flicked his ears and slowly turned around, his mouth still full of berries, only to look right into four triangular yellow eyes, a meter of five from his. Pynch forgot to breathe when his hand instinctively found the shoulder of his brother. The _Vexathyr_ pulled up its upper lip and bared its massive glistening fangs, each one as long as his lower arm, the four eyes fixed on its prey. The head of the massive predator was close to its huge fore claws. Those were razor-sharp and could easily tear him to shreds with a single stroke. The creature's whole body was covered by a very fine coat of light-brown hair. When Jicko turned around and finally got the predator in his eyesight he was paralyzed as well. The animal was ready to attack and just needed a final push.

"By Kirliya" Jicko brought out.

He swallowed his mouth full of berries and was unable to bring out another word. The others still didn't know about the danger that was only a few meters from them until Shezu sensed the fear of her brothers. It alerted her just in time to prevent them from getting killed.

"_By Kirliya, it's huge" _it flashed through her mind.

For a moment she was just as paralyzed by fear as her brothers. Unable to act, shocked by the appearance of the two meter tall monster. But then she realized they had their own weapon at their disposal. Her psycho-kinetic energy was ready to be used. She touched it and it filled her with a strength far above normal. She wasn't afraid. But her brothers and sisters certainly were. As soon as one of them decided to make a run for it, the others followed. Their screams reached her ears and the animal's giving them both the cue they needed to charge. Making the decision to attack the initial target, the monster went after Pynch.

"Help! I don't wanna die" he cried, trying to get away as fast as his triple-jointed legs could carry him.

"Not if I can help it" she said, biting her teeth.

A short fast sprint was all a _Vexathyr_ needed to catch its prey but she was faster. She stepped in front of the creature, surprising it with her sudden move. She held up her clawed hands, ready to defend herself. The _Vexathyr_ growled and switched targets, just as she planned. It charged her, using its back legs to achieve an amazing speed on short distance. Shezu closed her eyes, feeling her target, its exact position. She had seen its move and in a fraction of a second planned her own. When she opened her eyes, the massive teeth and claws were only a few centimeters apart from her. The claws extended, enough force behind them to tear off a limb or smash her fragile body against a tree. _Leave my brothers and sisters alone, you monster._ Shezu stretched out her own hand, propelling a powerful wave of energy in front of it. The creature doubled over with a loud roar when her attack hit it in the stomach, sending it in exactly the opposite direction. She was fast but not fast enough to evade all of the attack. Two nails grazed her upper left arm, burying themselves in her flesh. She screamed and fell on one knee, clamping her arm with her other hand, the blood soaking her shirt.

"Shezu!" Reyan yelled.

Her brother wasn't afraid anymore. That creature hurt his sister and it was going to pay. He stepped in front of his panting sister. That powerful blow was a pretty big drain on her energy and because of her injury she couldn't defend herself anymore.

"Aaaahhh, it hurts!" she screamed.

Blood leaked through her fingers, a lot of it. It scared her to see so much of the red fluid leaving her body.

"Get away you! Leave us alone!" Reyan spat.

But the _Vexathyr_, despite the pain in its stomach growled and didn't let itself be intimidated by a young Mantrin boy. The dangerous predator buried its claws deep into the dirt, readying itself for another attack.

"Coming back for more eh? Well I'm ready!"

Reyan concentrated deeply, gathering the energy of his mind to deal the _Vexathyr_ another powerful blow. His sister already dealt the creature a blow to the stomach. Another one wouldn't do the trick. _The face might be a better spot. _At least _he_ didn't want to get pounded right into the middle of his face. That monster probably wouldn't like it either. He held up his claws, invisible balls of energy forming inside the palms.

"Be careful Reyan" Shezu brought out between two breaths.

Removing her hand from the wound that bled heavily she was shocked to see the deep cuts and the amount of blood she had already lost. Biting her teeth against the pain she witnessed Reyan dueling with his opponent.

"Don't worry about me. I'll get us out of here."

In a moment's notice the angry _Vexathyr_ decided to go on the offensive. With its mouth full of sharp teeth and its claws ready to cut the life out of them it rushed towards them, its four eyes locked on its prey.

"Here goes nothing" Reyan muttered under his breath, whispering a little pray to Kirliya.

The creature jumped its prey, attacking head one with extended claws. But before the sharp weapons could reach him, Reyan launched its double attack right into the animal's face, a short moment in between. Pounding both his opened hands foreward, the energy collided with the _Vexathyr_'s face with a crackling blow. Blood splattered in Reyan's face when his attack broke a couple of bones. The _Vexathyr_ crashed to the ground in a hairy ball of lashing claws and gnawing teeth. It knew it was defeated, no matter how small and weak the prey looked. It scrambled to its clawed feet and disappeared into the bushes with a last frustrated growl and its tail tuck between its legs. A panting and relieved Reyan sunk on his knees near his sister. She was right. Using your energy in such large quantities was exhausting to say the least.

"Oh no" Reyan said, his ears drooping down, wiping the _Vexathyr_'s blood from his forehead.

He too realized the severity of the injury.

"It hurts!" Shezu moaned.

This was the first time in her life she felt such pain. It was certainly one of the nastiest of all feelings and it didn't look like it was going to stop soon. Now that the danger had passed, the others joined her and Reyan quickly, looking at their sister with worried faces. The little Reylyn already had the tears in her eyes. Jicko sunk on his knees beside his injured sister. He flung his arm around her shoulder and started licking her cheek. Reyan gently removed her hand from the wound.

"I'm sorry. I should have assisted you sooner."

"It's all right" she waved away his apology.

"I don't know how to do this but-"

Reyan grabbed the sleeve of his shirt and ripped a piece off of it. Wrapping the piece tightly around her arm, she could use it as a makeshift bandage. Shezu watched as he took care of her, grateful for what her brother did. When he was done, the blood still leaked through.

"I need more" he said.

Some of her brothers also gave up a piece of their shirt. It wouldn't matter for now, it was too hot to wear clothes anyway. When Reyan was done the bandage was thick enough to stop the bleeding. Too bad he couldn't do anything about the pain.

"Thank you" Shezu said with tears in her differently colored eyes.

"That's what brothers and sisters do" Syndar replied.

They all embraced their wounded sister, already taking away some of the pain she felt.

"Is everyone all right?" she asked.

"Just a little scared when that beast came after me that's all" Pynch said when he released her.

"Yeah, my hearts were beating so fast, I thought they were gonna come out" Reylyn said, feeling her chest.

"I'm glad that thing's gone" Reyan said, staring into the direction where the _Vexathyr_ disappeared into the forest.

It certainly was one of Sogowa's most dangerous predators and they were lucky they hunted alone. They wouldn't have been able to defend themselves against a number of those ferocious animals. "If he had attacked again I don't think I could have hold him off. You were right Shezu. It is exhausting." Shezu nodded. Judging by the red blush on the cheeks of her Sogowan brother that double blast got the best out of him.

"It sure is. Your face is all red."

"Huh? Must be some juice from those berries. I'm not tired anymore."

He futily wiped off his cheek with the back of his hand, only to find out it wasn't juice.

"Your whole face is turning red."

The others stared openly at him, fascinated by the red color Reyan's skin was turning in.

"What the?-" Reyan stuttered, watching the faint red glow spread over the rest of his body.

"You look like a berry" Syndar joked.

"That's not funny!" Reyan bit back.

"Look at me!"

"Looks like he's allergic to that stuff" Shezu said, staring from Reyan to the bushes loaded with berries behind him.

Someone chuckled and it didn´t take long before they were all crying with laughter. Fran wiped the tears of joy from his eyes.

"You really look like a berry" he cackled.

"You better watch it" Jicko added.

"You're gonna attract more animals who might see you for a big juicy piece of fruit."

"Stop it. It's not funny" Reyan protested.

"Why does it always have to be me?"

Shezu laughed too but eventually put the hand of her good arm on his shoulder. She felt a little sorry for him. They finally found something suitable to eat and he was allergic to it.

"Hey, it will go over."

"You're probably right" he sighed.

"C'mon lets go back. The sun is about to go down."

She was right. The tiny pieces of sky that were visible through the layer of leaves above their heads were already turning into a mixture of orange and pink.

"We still need to find some wood" Reyan reminded her.

She bend down to pick up a branch, biting her teeth against the pain in her other arm.

"Be careful, that arm needs rest."

"I'll be fine" she replied.

"If we gather enough of these we might be able to build a fire that's large enough to provide us with some heat and scare off the animals."

"Let's do it then."

Only moments before dark, the children returned to the lake, their arms carrying all the fallen branches and twigs they could carry. They made two piles, a small one to use as the beginning of their fire and the rest of it as a means of keeping it going. Since Shezu and Reyan were the most experienced with their mental training they were the ones who were gonna try to create the first spark. Shezu sat on her first set of knees, her brother sitting opposite to her. The others were sitting on their sides, watching in a fascinated way to what they were doing. Or were going to do. Shezu looked a little uneasy.

"Have you ever tried this before?" she asked, flattening an ear.

"Ah ah" Reyan said, shaking his head.

Father hadn't told them how to make fire yet. If she and her brother remembered correctly he would teach them that next week. Too bad next week would never come, at least not the way he planned it. But he had thought them something about warming things up. Making water boil was one of their exercises for _this_ week. They all succeeded in doing that but making a real fire was something a little more difficult.

"I can't be that hard" Reyan grumbled.

"Remember father's lessons in science. If things get warm, the molecules of which it is made off move faster" Shezu said, reciting her father's words.

Why did everything they did had to remember her about him? Even now that he couldn't be with them, his presence was in a certain way still there. _Don't worry father. I'll get you out, no matter where you are._

"So if we can make the molecules of say, this stick move faster…"

Reyan flicked an ear.

"Shezu?"

"Eh, sorry Reyan" she said, brushing through her hair with the hand of her good arm.

"I got carried away a little."

"Never mind. We just need to make the molecules in this stick move a little faster."

"Let's try it" Shezu decided.

She and Reyan directed their hands at that single branch in the middle of the pile. It was a little harder for her to do with one hand but her concentration technique was almost perfect. Her hearts were beating at a calm and steady rhythm and her breathing was controlled. Large deep breaths with short moments in between. From this moment on she could get stronger now that she had her powers under control. She felt them, woke them up and let them flow to her hand, the tips of her clawed fingers. She was in complete control and her powers only did what she wanted, nothing else. She could feel the tiniest building blocks that stick was made of. They were moving, but slowly, very slowly. Like the few lonely clouds in the night sky, illuminated by the pale moonlight of She'loh and Dimra. Using the invisible force of her powerful mind she pushed them. She pushed and she could feel her brother push at the other side. She pushed harder and some of the molecules began to move out of rhythm. They began to move faster, more and more of them. Faster and faster until they were moving so fast she could hardly keep track of them individually. She opened her eyes when her brothers and sisters began to clap and cheer. In front of her, the beginning of a fire began to spread through the branches. The heat she and Reyan had created was more than enough for just a spark. Now they just had to keep it alive. The warmth of the fire and the smile on the faces of her brothers and sisters filled her with joy. They had learned themselves a new and handy ability and without much effort!

"Very good" Jicko cheered, warming his hands at the small fire.

Eyza smiled and nodded, giving her a small mental sign of appreciation. After putting some more wood on the warm crackling fire the children sat around their creation that would protect them against some of the dangers of the forest. Luckily the moons were there to guide them but the light of the fire surrounded the small group with a protective aura of light that would help to keep unwanted guests away. After some time and a bit of chatter they decided to go the sleep. Tiredness finally got them after a long and horrible day. Reylyn stood up and walked over to her sister.

"Shezu? Can I sleep with you tonight?"

How could she refuse? Poor girl had been through so much.

"Of course" she said with a faint smile.

The Orketh girl folded her legs against her body when she laid down beside Shezu, their faces turned towards each other. When Shezu's eyes found those of her sister she could stare directly into her mind. She was shocked when her mind touched the awful sorrow deep inside of her little sister. Obviously Reylyn felt that little touch as a tear rolled down her cheek into the grass. Suddenly she started sobbing, covering her eyes with her hands.

"Reylyn" Shezu said, softly stroking her head.

"I wanna go home" she replied tearfully, sitting upright.

"I wanna go home and I want my daddy."

"Hey, I'm trying to sleep here" Reyan said agitated.

He looked up and shot them an angry look. Reylyn started to cry. The harsh words of her brother only added to her grief.

"Be quiet Reylyn! Don't be such a cry-baby!"

"I am not!" Reylyn shouted, the tears splattering around.

"Leave her alone Reyan! She's been through enough already!" Shezu bit back.

She couldn't believe that her brother said such mean things to his sister. He grieved too, she knew it. Only he did it in his own way, without showing. Reyan covered his ears with both hands and grumbled something indistinct. She crawled towards her sister and held her with one arm.

"Shhh. That's it. Cry. Throw it all out."

She held her little sister in her arm, slowly rocking her back and forth. In the mean time she was overwhelmed by the strong emotions of grief coming from her. In contrast to herself, there was very little anger inside the girl, only grief. But she and the others had already turned their grief into anger. But that same anger scared her a little. It was bottled up inside her but it was stronger than normal anger. It felt like it was alive and it was fed by the negative feelings of the others, especially Reylyn at the moment. It was the burning feeling of hate. Hate towards the people who had done these terrible things to her loved ones. She was certain. They were going to pay for what they'd done. She would find her father and then she would make them pay for what they did to him. She was so caught up in it, she didn't even realize that they were being watched.


	11. Chapter 8 Return of the Highlander

**Return of the **_**Highlander**_

With her heart pounding in her ears, Akima rushed over the walkways of the vertical city, the _Heliopolis_, towards the _Lighthouse_. She just heard some amazing news. Now that the Machine threat had disappeared and the trade routes were safe to travel, the Senate had finally decided to bring Earth's treasures over to their new home. Two massive cargo haulers had arrived from Qu'ut Minor carrying all of the original Earth's cultural artifacts. Despite the fact that she was glad she helped to store those in a safe place it wasn't the merchandise she was so excited about. Her dear friend Ishaq, who together with Stith had been a great help in their treasure rescue had traveled with one of the ships escorting the convoy and was waiting for her in the _Lighthouse_. But he wasn't just a friend. She had lived with him and his father for a full year until his father's untimely death. It had been such a terrible day. The day the Drej attacked New Marrakech. If she just could've got them out of there in time-. Ishaq knew she still blamed herself for the death of his father, despite the fact that it wasn't her fault. He never blamed her. They remained inseparable after that, doing cargo hauling together, trying to build up a life in this hard and cruel galaxy. It had been a difficult time for both of them but luckily they had Stith to cover their backs. The Mantrin would be her friend for life.

"Akima wait! Not so fast!" Cale said, catching up to her.

"Cale, we've only got a few minutes before the ship leaves again. We've got an important mission ahead. That science ship, the _Nepenthe_, has gone missing and I've got a bad feeling about this. But I want to see Ishaq before we leave. It's been a long time and I don't know for how long he's here."

"All right. All right" Cale said, trying to keep up with his wife.

She sure was fast and in better condition than he was. The gentle music of, alien origin tickled his ears when they reached the entrance of the place. It was tidy, but not abnormally and Akima had already seen her friend as she disappeared into the crowd of people and tables, slipping through the tiny openings between the guests. He tried to follow her, a little awkwardly, whispering a few 'excuse me's' as he tried to get through. Despite the fact that they were both in uniform he didn't want to play the officer who ruined the general mood. When he reached the table were Akima sat down next to her acquaintance he was pleasantly surprised. A young man, about the same age as he and Akima saw him coming, staring at him with two striking green eyes. His dark curly hair almost reached down to his shoulders. That together with his olive skin clearly betrayed his Moroccan descent. His clothes were certainly not. It was definitely alien in origin and Cale had only seen this style of clothing once before and that was on Qu'ut Minor. He sure adapted to their way of living judging by his appearance. His conversation with Akima abruptly stopped when Cale approached their table.

"Sit down Cale" Akima said, gesturing at the two remaining empty chairs.

"I want you to meet my friend Ishaq. We've been friends for years, although we didn't have much contact recently."

Ishaq stood up and spoke with some excitement in his voice when he stuck out his hand.

"Ishaq Bourain. A pleasure to meet you Mister Tucker."

Cale grabbed his hand and shook firmly.

"Well, Mister Tucker, or actually _Professor_ Tucker was my father. Call me Cale."

"And you may call me Ishaq" he replied with a smile.

The 'was' in Cale's last sentence didn't go unnoticed. Both men sat down to continue the conversation.

"Was. You mean your father-. I mean Professor Tucker-."

"Yes. He died in his attempt to preserve a future for humanity."

"I'm sorry" Ishaq replied, clearly shocked by this fact he hadn't been aware about until now.

_His_ father had worked with the great Professor Tucker himself.

"Don't be."

Cale sighed.

"At first, I was mad at my father for not being there for me when I needed him most. It had been difficult for all of us to accept the fact that humanity might never have a home again. But when I finally saw the Titan, stood inside its massive superstructure… My father's work, the ultimate achievement of humanity. When I was finally there, I knew his sacrifice hadn't been in vain."

"Wow. I can only imagine how that must have felt" Ishaq said full of admiration.

"I've seen her, the Titan. She's holding position near the remains of Qu'ut Prime for some time now."

"So they're finally going to do it" Akima said.

"After more than fifty years, we can undo some of the damage the Drej have caused. Their reign of terror and senseless destruction has finally ended."

"I'm glad that it's finally over" Ishaq agreed, running a hand through his curly black hair.

"Well enough about me and my father" Cale said, switching subjects.

"What about you Ishaq? Akima told me you grew up together."

"Yeah, tell me" Akima laughed.

"What have you done all that time? Learning to be a better Qu'utian?"

Ishaq let out a soft laugh. He rolled up the sleeve of the colorful garment he was wearing, under the surprised look of Cale and Akima. Of course they recognized the symbol on Ishaq's upper arm. Cale had one himself. It was a _Qu'utiaa_.

"I more or less did actually. For instance, the clothes I'm wearing. The Qu'utians wear little clothing so I needed to adapt. I didn't want to be a troublesome guest so I accepted their customs and except from my human appearance I eventually began to blend in. I even got accustomed to their food, which is not bad and to a certain degree very tasty."

Akima and Cale listened without speaking a word. Akima was intrigued by what her friend had been through during his stay with the wise and peaceful aliens.

"During my stay in their underground world deep inside Qu'ut Minor I learned everything I could about them. Their history, culture and technology. You know, the Qu'utians are a very wise people and they were technologically quite advanced before the Drej destroyed their well-faring world. Did you know that poverty was and is virtually non-existent because they view everyone as an equal? It's amazing what a different point of view can do for a civilization. They had to, because the only thing they had left was each other."

He looked up and smiled.

"But you guys clearly haven't been sitting on your butts either. How did you manage to build all this in such a short period of time?"

"It's kind of a long story" Akima said, not exactly knowing where to start.

"Well, I'm sure you've heard of the Machines who invaded our galaxy" Cale said, straight to the point.

"You don't wanna know how scared I was when we received the distress calls. The cries for help when worlds were attacked. I'm glad they left Qu'ut Minor for what it was. The Qu'utians could have done nothing to defend themselves."

His gaze met Akima's, obviously making clear that he truly cared about the people he spend part of his life with.

"The Qu'utians are a peaceful race. They don't believe in weapons or violence."

Akima looked at her chrono. It was time to go. Korso was waiting for them to return to the ship.

"We've gotta go" she said, not really eager to do so.

"Then go. You've got duties to attend to."

"Thanks Ishaq. It was great seeing you again after such a long time."

Ishaq flashed her a smile.

"The pleasure's mine."

"Press! Press coming through!"

Akima stood up, followed by her husband, to see what all the commotion was about. It was the press of _NewsNet_, a global news broadcast which brought the latest news right to the people's TV sets. Akima sighed and pulled Cale's arm as she worked her way around the table, trying to avoid the rapidly approaching journalists. _Why were they always so annoying?_ A bit of that same annoyance drove away the smile from Ishaq's face.

"That was to be expected" he muttered under his breath.

"And unavoidable."

"C'mon Cale."

But something flashed through Cale's mind, nailing him to his spot on the floor. He had to ask. Maybe Ishaq had an idea about what happened.

"Ishaq" he said, getting his immediate attention.

"Yes?"

"Do you know anything about Tau-14?"

Cale could see that the young man was trying to remember where he heard that name before.

"It's that salvage station right?" he replied with a hasty look on the journalists who were almost at his table.

"A dreadful place, believe me. Do you know if it's still there? I've got… an old friend who worked at that place and I wanna know if he's all right and if so, where I can find him."

Ishaq shook his head, disappointment showing on his face.

"I'm sorry Cale. But Tau-14's distress call was one of many which reached Qu'ut Minor. I believe the place was completely destroyed by the Machines."

Cale suddenly had the feeling someone turned a bucket of ice water over his head. He couldn't have been one of them. Tek _had_ to be on temporary leave when it happened. He just _had_ to.

"Thanks Ishaq, I think" he blurted out, turning his back towards the man who was shortly after that surrounded by people from the press.

"Mister Bourain! Mister Bourain, how does it feel to continue your father's work for humanity?"

Cale didn't even hear it. His thoughts were with his foster-father. He could not have died in that place. He just couldn't. It was hard to believe that his first meeting with Korso was the last time he had seen him. Without speaking single word, even after some comforting words from his wife, he followed her back to the beam-out point. He almost forgot about the mission ahead. All he could think about was Tek and his adopted daughter Iji. His adopted sister actually. If it was true, and Tek had died he had to go back to Vusstra to get the girl. After all, despite the fact that she was adopted, he was the only family she still had.

"Gune I need an estimate" Korso said, his eyes fixed on the sea of shooting stars in front of him.

They were closing in on the last position of the RSS _Nepenthe_, an advanced Republican science vessel Command lost contact with two days ago. Akima had already let him know she had a bad feeling about all this. A ship that big didn't just disappear for no reason. They didn't even receive a distress call or something. It was as if it just vanished without a trace. It last location was known, the Iridana nebula, a hell for navigators and pilots. It was best to avoid it if possible.

"Gune's calculations indicate that the ship will reach its destination in eight minutes and forty-three seconds Captain" the alien squawked from the lower deck.

The Grepoan scientist's calculations were always that precise and he doubted it would take even a second longer. Yet he wanted to slip in there, gather the necessary information about the fate of the ship and its crew, then get out. The shrinking distance between the ship and its destination had a negative effect on his nerves. He learned to trust on those feelings and therefore distrust the whole situation.

"How are those new shield modifications doing Cale?"

No response. Cale had been quiet the whole time since he and Akima returned to the ship. _Did something happen to those two?_

"Cale?" Korso repeated, swiveling around in his chair.

"Captain" Cale replied suddenly, obviously waking up from some sort of daydream.

"I… I'm sorry Captain. Shields. Eh, it looks good on paper. Efficiency should be up by another six percent and the overall shield strength has been increased by another two."

Korso nodded approvingly but the look in his eyes told Cale that he was a little disappointed that his thoughts had been elsewhere. But it was hard to just shove it aside for now.

"Well, keep 'em ready. I have the feeling we might need them. And I need you too Cale so stay focused."

The tone of his voice clearly indicated that he didn't tolerate this behavior. But he didn't know what was bothering him. Still he decided not to tell, yet.

"Yes sir. Pardon me sir."

_C'mon Cale, focus. The sooner this is over, the sooner you can go and look for them._

The exact eight minutes and forty-three seconds later the _Valkyrie_ left warp and came to a full stop a couple of million kilometers from the huge purple-bluish cloud of whirling stellar dust and gasses. Asteroids of various sizes slowly turned around several axes near the nebula. Nebulae were both beautiful and dangerous and Korso rather didn't take his ship inside for a closer look, anxious that they would overcome the same fate as the _Nepenthe._

"Scanning Captain" Ensign Cho said.

She diverted full power to all sensors, full spectrum, maximum bandwidth.

"Anything?"

"It's a little hard to tell Captain" she replied, brushing a lock of hair out of her face.

"The asteroids contain a lot of metals, dispersing our scans. I can't detect anything that looks like a ship's hull though."

"Take us closer Akima" Korso ordered.

"Aye sir."

Slowly moving up the slider controls on the glass panel she brought the ship up to a safe speed. Careful maneuvering and easing back on the throttle in the denser parts of asteroid fields was the only way to make it through safely. The ship vibrated when smaller rocks and debris collided with the shields Cale had raised just to be sure.

"The new shields modifications seem to be having their effect. They are capable of compensating for more powerful impacts and hits now. They're holding stable."

"Good work" Korso praised.

Thanks to their skilled pilot the _Valkyrie_ eased through the asteroid field without much trouble. An added advantage was that the ship's power and engine emissions were concealed for anything that could be out there.

"Wait! I think I've got something" Yani alerted the rest of the crew.

"Bearing 034 mark 118."

"Akima?"

"I'm already on it Captain" she replied, entering the new course corrections into the conn.

The anomalous reading of something that could have been part of a ship showed up on Yani's scanner closer near the edge of the nebula. Increasing the resolution, more detailed readings displayed themselves on her console.

"It's definitely a piece of debris. A hull fragment. I'm picking up some additional pieces now."

Akima maneuvered the ship out of the asteroid field, in the direction of the nebula. The floating pieces of rock followed erratic paths and the longer they stayed in there, the bigger the change they might get squashed in between.

"D'you think they had some sort of accident while studying the nebula and the neighboring asteroid field?" Lieutenant Reese speculated.

"I doubt that" Yani replied.

"I'm picking up weapon signatures on some of the fragments. At least, I think they are the residue of energy-based weaponry."

"An attack?" Korso asked.

"I'm not entirely sure Captain. I'm sorry. The signature doesn't match anything in our database so far. The computer is still running some analyses."

It seemed that Akima's premonitions were true. _Something doesn't feel right here. _Suddenly he was teased by an uncomfortable feeling. Their last encounter with beings from another universe wasn't a peaceful first contact either. And with the galaxy riddled with holes in space time leading to other universes and dimensions, this could very well be the beginning of a recurrence of what happened a little over two weeks ago. An alien force trying to invade their galaxy, again.

"Ensign, does the path of the pieces take them away from the nebula?"

"The pieces are barely moving at all but the computer's analysis indicates that their current path is taking them away from the nebula, although at almost immeasurably slow speeds. The gasses and currents inside the nebula could have slowed them down so I think we can be sure that they did come from the direction of the nebula."

Slowly the pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fall into place. Captain Ibanez had taken his ship into the nebula for reasons still not entirely known but the _Nepenthe_'s advanced sensor array's must have picked up something inside. Korso couldn't believe that Ibanez would take such a big risk but scientists were sometimes a little too eager to make new discoveries. But he couldn't help it. He was obviously ambushed judging by the alien weapon signatures on the remains of his ship.

"Captain I think I've got something" Yani called for his attention.

"It's not an exact match but the computer cross-linked the signature with several others in our database and came up with something."

She tapped a few buttons to open the record. In the mean time Korso joined her behind the console. But a few seconds later the console displayed only an error message and the computer told them that the record was damaged.

"Damn it. The file is corrupted."

"Try a recursive algorithm. See if we can reconstruct the data" Korso ordered.

Just as his officer wanted to carry out the order, the scanner alerted them for an approaching ship. Long range sensors indicated that the vessel, traveling at high warp, would arrive at their location in less than two minutes.

"Enemies?"

"I don't think so Captain. Unless the Federation has suddenly become one."

"Let's go and meet them. There's nothing more we can do here. From this moment on, this nebula is marked as dangerous. First I wanna check that record so we know what we're up against and report back to Command."

Executing her Captain's indirect order, Akima fired up the engines and turned the ship around to meet with the approaching Federation ship. Maybe Starfleet knew what was going on around here. Why else would they send a ship after them? But a few moments later it became clear it wasn't just another Federation vessel. The massive star cruiser of the Carinthia class dropped out of warp at just a couple of thousand kilometers from the in comparison smallish _Valkyrie_. However, it was the name of the ship that brought back some good memories.

"Captain, we're being hailed" Brian said with smile.

A smile copied by his Captain when he gave the order to put it up. The large bubble-shaped window turned opaque and displayed the bridge of the USS _Highlander_ with her Captain, Jason Pierce, still in command. There was a slight twinkle in his brown eyes when he greeted them, smiling, Commander Chrysta Winter at his side.

"Joseph Korso. I'm glad we meet again."

Korso smoothed the wrinkles out of his navy blue uniform and smirked.

"Jason, what are you doing here? I thought you were finally having some time off. What brings you back?"

Jason's look suddenly turned serious and Korso could almost read his mind. It only confirmed that the nasty feeling he had wasn't misplaced.

"I think you've just discovered that for yourself. I wouldn't advice going into that nebula before we can assess the situation. We don't know how worse it is. All patrolling ships, both Republican and Federation have been put on heightened alert. I was monitoring the reports about your whereabouts and followed you as fast as I could."

"Jason, c'mon. Tell me what's going on" Korso said, starting to feel more uncomfortable by the minute.

The bridge suddenly felt a little too small for so many people. Jason paused.

"I will. We need to talk. Not just with you but with everyone who can make a difference. If you follow me back to New Earth, everything will become clear."

Jason almost ended the transmission before Korso could react but he quickly withheld Jason from doing so. He just had to know one thing for sure.

"Jason wait! We may have found something but our records are damaged. I just wanna know. Do you know what we're up against?"

Crossing his arms, Jason thought about how to answer the question. There were two ways.

"In terms of numbers and strength I don't know. I terms of _who_ they are… Only one of you encountered them before and survived. He's not aboard your ship anymore but you know him. I promise that everything will become clear once we get back to Earth. We better step on it. Time is of the essence."

The window turned to its normal transparent state, leaving the bridge of the _Valkyrie_ in a strained sort of silence. Jason left them in a worried and confused state and his words weren't exactly reassuring. He had left them in the dark with only a wet candle and no matches.

"Turn around and engage at maximum warp" Korso said, staring at the Federation ship out there in space.

The _Highlander_ was busy with a turning maneuver, the large streamlined vessel reversing course to head back to where it came from. He didn't have to repeat the order. Akima had already turned the ship around and engaged the warp engines in silence. With the ship taking a giant leap forward, the general mood on the bridge did the exact opposite. Especially when the Captain left the bridge with a faint 'I'll be in my ready room'. No one said something for a moment until Cale decided to break the silence. He already had enough on his mind without this being added to it.

"So what do you think Commander?"

Brian turned around. He didn't reply in an instant, not sure what to think of it. That was also his reply.

"I don't know. Could be anything."

"Not the Machines, that's one thing we can be sure off" Derek said, turning his attention to the conversation.

"What did he say? Only one of us encountered them before and survived? What is that supposed to mean?"

"But he's not aboard the ship anymore" Akima added, letting go of the controls.

The ship was set on auto-pilot and would take them back to New Earth on its own. In a flash she remembered what Jason was talking about.

"Kero" she said, having the full attention of everyone.

"He's talking about Prince Kero. Remember his ship being destroyed by a hostile force from another universe? He told me about it once. If I could only remember the name. Something with an 'S'."

"You may not have to" Ensign Cho interrupted, tapping buttons on her console.

"The computer might have recovered something from those damaged records."

As she worked to get the information she wanted, the other members of the crew gathered around her console on the upper deck, eager to uncover so much as a glimpse about what they were up against. But when the computer finally displayed the data on the screen the situation looked even more dire then they thought.

"Better warn Captain about this" Gune suggested.

The small alien turned around and knocked on Korso's door. It didn't take long for him to arrive, only to find his crew in a state of shock.

"The Seraphim" Akima brought out, the word alone sending a very unpleasant chill down her spine.

They had attacked Kero's ship without mercy and nearly destroyed it. If the _Valkyrie_ had arrived only a few minutes later, the Mantrin Emperor would have lost his oldest son.

"Do we have any information about these aliens?" Korso asked.

Yani shook her head.

"The Federation database has very little information about them. Possibly because encounters with them have been rare. It only states that they're very powerful and highly advanced. Very little is known about their society and their technology. The only thing they know is that they're powerful telepaths and that they're connected to each other by a mysterious empathic force called _The Way_."

When they looked at their Captain's response, they all instantly knew what he was thinking. This was not looking good. Not in the least.

When the _Valkyrie_ dropped out of warp near New Earth, they could all see that something was going on. There were a lot more ships than usual in orbit of the planet. Republican, Starfleet and alien vessels had gathered here for an emergency meeting.

"Apparently someone sounded the alarm" Korso remarked, staring at the pandemonium of ships swarming around the planet.

As they drew closer, they were assigned to a docking port at the _Atlas _space station. But before they disembarked, they were contacted by Jason one more time.

"There's going to be a meeting with the Senate in half an hour. You'll be able to follow every word if you go to one of the mess halls. Everyone has the right to know what we're up against."

"What about you?"

"Admiral Cunnington has invited me to the meeting. I'll meet you afterwards. I suggest you pay close attention. The Federation has some experts on the matter and we've been in brief contact with the people who are willing, and are _able_ to help us out. You're not the only one who has to deal with these Seraphim."

"Thank you Jason."

The Starfleet Captain nodded.

"You're welcome. Pierce out."

"Finally we're getting some answers" Brian said, walking down the stairs to the lower level.

"I really wonder what this is all about."

Cale said, joining Akima on her way out.

"What did we ever do to anger the Seraphim? That record said that they are a peaceful race because _The Way _renders them incapable of killing."

"Let's find out."

With the bridge powering down behind them they headed on their way towards the airlock and on the way to the answers to all their questions.

Korso never had the time to take a tour through the huge space station that controlled the space docks and fleet operations but the engineers had turned it into one of the most advanced facilities he had ever seen. Certain things had a smooth touch of Starfleet but for the most part it was in some way familiar. The interfaces of computer consoles and design of the interior were kept the same, only a little more modernized. The mess hall of the station they picked was overfull but he doubted that the other mess halls were less crowded. The station recently got a few additions due to the enormous demands of the people who visited New Earth because it was the center of the alliance. It was no longer just a docking control center but a massive spaceport with its own center of commerce as well. If they kept things up this way, it would only continue to expand. A second station was under construction at the other side of the planet and plans for a third one were already there. Overlooking the large crowd of humans and aliens he could very well understand the decision as it was actually more of a necessity.

"I'll see you after this is over" Korso said, sitting down next to a human member of the station's crew.

Spread among the few empty places left, the crew found themselves scattered across the hall. A couple of large screens along the walls currently displayed the noisy inside of the Senate, filled with representatives of a dozen alien worlds. It was the same as always but with one small difference. It was not Supreme Chancellor Laroc standing in the middle behind the catheter. Instead, a Starfleet Admiral was preparing his speech. Cale and Akima had found themselves a spot for two people. The meeting was about to begin and the hall was quieting down a bit.

"I hope someone is willing to help us. If they can truly wage war on such a scale we don't stand a chance."

"Shhht! They're beginning" the man on the left whispered.

Fixing their eyes on the nearest screen they watched the Starfleet flag officer clear his throat. A lot of people were setting their hopes on his reassuring words. It didn't take long before his voice sounded over the speakers.

"My father once told me to expect the unexpected. To be prepared to face the worst at all times."

He paused for a moment and smiled.

"I never listened to my father's advice and did things my own way most of the time."

His words were met with some laughter but it died away quickly when he continued.

"But that motto always remained in the back of my mind for some reason. Maybe it was because I still looked up to my father. I'm not going to tell you that you have to be prepared for the worst but I think we can expect the unexpected at all times. As you all know, our universes are connected by trans-dimensional distortions. Call them portals if you want, gates if you like but the bottom line is that they are rifts leading to other universes and dimensions and we still don't know the cause. More of them have appeared since the last time we fought a common enemy together and the fight is not over yet."

Both in the Senate and in the mess hall people began to mutter. Was it true? Were the Machines back to try and finish the job? But Cale knew better than to trust on rumors. The Seraphim were an enemy maybe even more dangerous than the Machines. Someone in the Senate, a human sitting in the Republican section raised his hand.

"Yes?" the Admiral said, allowing him permission to speak.

"Are the Machines still at large in your universe?"

"I can understand your question but the answer is _no_. The Machines were driven back to their own universe. Their controlling entities have been successfully destroyed and we're currently in the process of rebuilding the worlds they targeted on their quest for total domination. However, the battle against the Machines Dominion wasn't without losses. We've lost quite a number of ships and good people. But in the time that we were recovering and rebuilding our forces, another faction decided to take advantage of the Federation's weakened state."

He paused and pressed a button on the catheter in front of him. The Senate darkened and some of the screens in the mess hall displayed the same image the holo-projectors inside the Senate building displayed above the Admiral. A yellow emblem composed of two razor-sharp looking blade shapes connected to an oval center. The left blade was slightly taller than the right one. Cale recognized the emblem from the Federation database. This was about the alien race called the Seraphim and apparently they were responsible for causing destruction in the Alpha Quadrant and perhaps more. At least they knew what happened to the _Nepenthe_. With the press of a button, the emblem of the Seraphim disappeared and made place for three others. A blue one made out of squares, a red one triangular in shape and a green one in the shape of a dual-tipped blade.

"Some time ago we discovered a universe where humanity was once split in three rivaling factions locked in a conflict that lasted for over a thousand years. It was known as the _Infinite War_."

Some disturbance went through the Senate and the mess hall. How could a war last for over a thousand years? But Korso knew better. He had heard this before. At the dinner table, when they met Jason. He had talked about this before. Thousand years of conflict. War on an unimaginable scale. It was hard to believe that the same war was about to be taken to a new galaxy. Their galaxy.

"The _Infinite War_ eventually ended in an act of desperation. One of the factions known as the United Earth Federation used its last weapon in a last attempt to end the war with a single devastating blow."

The image changed again, this time into a massive planetary cannon firing a tremendously powerful blinding ray of light up into the sky. The text _Black Sun_ appeared in the lower left corner of the screens and projection.

"The attack left the other two factions devastated. Their core worlds had been destroyed forcing their militaries to surrender."

The Admiral paused and drank some water before he continued. "I'm not here to question their means of waging war but their attack did more than they anticipated. They were soon about to realize they made a fatal mistake."

A woman in teal-colored Starfleet uniform approached the center of the Senate. She was a scientist and was one of the experts Jason spoke of.

"Before I continue, I give you Doctor Erica Hernandez, our leading expert on the Seraphim."

"Thank you Admiral" the woman replied with a soft but clear voice.

As soon as she began to speak, the projection above her head changed with each sentence, trying to give everyone an image of what she was talking about.

"Before I go to the scientific part of the matter I want to tell something about the Seraphim. The Seraphim are a highly advanced, very intelligent race of telepathic beings from another dimension known as the quantum realm. They have no trouble to survive in our universe but since no one has ever been to the quantum realm we can't really tell what their homeworld looks like. We can only speculate. But we do know that they are connected to each other by a common philosophy know as _The Way_. The term philosophy however can be a bit deceiving since it is actually far more than that. Those who experience it for themselves are no longer capable of inflicting harm." She paused for moment, allowing everyone time to process all the information. Akima listened carefully to everything that was said. It made her head spin. They knew that the Seraphim were here and the biggest question of all still remained. What did they want? Why was a peaceful alien race looking for a reason to start another war? She hoped the answer would come soon because it made her nervous.

"In order to wage war…" Doctor Hernandez continued, "…you need warriors. But for a Seraphim to become a warrior, he or she must agree to permanently sever their connection to _The Way_. It is the highest honor one can achieve and yet it comes at a terrible price. They turn into emotionless killing machines and can no longer associate with the rest of their society because off the loss of their empathic connection. From that moment on, they are outcasts. When the UEF fired _Black Sun_ it weakened the barrier between their universe and the quantum realm, allowing the Seraphim to create a rift. The Seraphim used the rift to send an invasion force to cleanse the galaxy and take revenge on those responsible for the destruction of their colony on Seraphim II. A merciless act performed by a group of xenophobic human soldiers."

Erica stepped back from the catheter allowing the Admiral to continue.

"Thank you Doctor."

He cleared his throat.

"After _Black Sun _fired and the Seraphim invaded there was nothing Earth's forces could do. Earth was destroyed, the UEF president killed and because of the _Infinite War_ their military was in a state of complete disarray. The Cybran and Aeon militaries were decimated and what was left of them was no match for the overwhelming assault and humanity found themselves on the brink of extinction. In the days that followed the Seraphim quickly expanded into space, conquering entire sectors in a matter of weeks. But the ongoing struggle against this terrifying foe did one thing the children of Earth though would never happen again. It united the remains of humanity and the three separate factions formed the Colonial Defense Coalition."

He paused thoughtfully, trying to find the words to tell what happened after that. In the mean time everyone held their breath in anticipation.

"It took the Coalition more than a year to reorganize and launch an offensive against the Seraphim. They suffered heavy losses but scored their first victory. After that, the Commanders of the Coalition worked hard and finally after months of struggle they managed to achieve victory over the Seraphim by closing the quantum rift. And this is where it continues. The trans-dimensional distortions have provided them with a means to leave the quantum realm once more. It is likely to assume that they're already preparing an offensive. The problem is this: The ongoing struggle with Coalition forces resulted into the creation of hundreds of these Seraphim warriors. But with the quantum rift sealed, their purpose disappeared. The war could not be continued and the transformation into a warrior is irreversible. They are outcasts and have nowhere else to go. The distortions provided them with a way out. We have reason to believe that several groups of these Seraphim warriors have gone rogue and have fled to other universes. And that's where they will start to wreak havoc on everyone who stands in their way. Consumed by their anger and desire to fight, they will try to establish a foothold in the region and launch their offensive from there."

Maybe the Admiral picked the wrong spot in his speech to stop. But as soon as he stopped talking, not only the Senate but also the mess hall around the _Valkyrie_'s crew exploded into an uproar. They had all held their breath for a solution to the problem but until now, none was given.

"That wasn't very smart of him" Cale quipped, trying not to get hit by an arm or other limbs from the neighboring crewmembers of the station.

"Frankly, I think the situation looks pretty dire. If they're really that powerful the battle will be over before it begins" Akima replied.

In the Senate, the Starfleet Admiral desperately tried to salvage the situation. It took some time but when he finally had the attention of most of the crowd he continued.

"I can understand your response. Our best people are working around the clock to keep the casualties to a minimum. Our intel reports that a group of these warriors have also infiltrated the Alpha Quadrant so _we_ are on a strict time limit as well."

Someone in the Republican section of the Senate raised his hand. The camera's zoomed in and Cale recognized the tall figure of Michael Jericho the Captain of the _Arcadia_. It was unmistakably him, rising above the rest of the crowd to come with a suggestion or a remark. The Admiral granted him permission to speak.

"Hey isn't that Captain Jericho?" Cale asked when he recognized the older experienced Captain.

"I thought he was paralyzed below his waist."

"Haven't you heard?" Akima replied, trying to keep her voice down under the warning looks of the people around her.

"He can walk again and will probably return to active duty in a few days. He has been through a thirty-one hour operation on his spinal column. Seventeen doctors have worked non-stop to repair the damage to his nervous system."

"Wow, amazing. Now that's what I call a veteran."

"Shhh! Keep quiet!" a Mantrin, who agitatedly jerked his head in their direction hissed.

"Sorry" Cale apologized.

Jericho raised his voice and asked a question everyone was eager to know the answer to.

"What are we going to do about it? Can we expect help from the Coalition or are we on our own?"

"I'm happy to announce that we have established contact with Coalition Command and that they have agreed to help us."

"Why didn't he just say so in the first place?" someone in the mess exclaimed.

"Sit down!" another one silenced him.

"Now here comes the catch" Cale whispered to Akima.

"But you have to understand…" the Admiral continued, "… that the Coalition itself is still recovering from a thousand year war and another recent one with the Seraphim. As far as we know, our enemy makes use of the most advanced military hardware known to exist. Their battlefield command interface is one of the most sophisticated we've ever come across, yet it can be operated by a single pilot inside its own hardened combat suit. An opponent that wields that kind of power must not, under any circumstance be taken lightly. We cannot launch an operation of our own. First, we need to earn the support of the Coalition, cause if the war unfolds without them, everything as we know it will end in a devastating conflict that could destroy the entire quadrant."

"Can't we just close off all the gates?" a member of the Akrennian delegation interrupted.

"Just closing them isn't gonna solve the problem anymore. A new one will simply open in its place. We need to work closely with any allies we might find."

"I concur" Admiral Langley agreed.

The older man was the highest ranking officer in the Republican fleet. He was for a great deal responsible for the coordination of Earth's forces.

"Anything that stands in the way of these Seraphim will simply be erased from existence. We cannot take risks. Not when so many lives are at stake."

"Then the decision of both the Republic and the Federation will be to wait until the arrival of Coalition forces."

"How long will that take?" the Solbrechtian ambassador grumbled.

"Their help won't do any good if we're already dead."

"Five days at most. Please, if you're thinking about attacking them yourselves, I urge you to reconsider. I have seen for myself what they can do and it's impressive in a horrible way. Whole worlds have seen destruction when Seraphim Commanders set foot on their soil."

The Indarian ambassador rose to its furred feet. The fox-like creatures were always quick in deciding what to do.

"The Indarian Dynasty has decided to join the Republic and Starfleet and wait until the arrival of the Coalition" the alien stated.

"We agree" the ambassador of the small planet Fauldro added.

One by one the worlds voted for the motion. Even those who hesitated and first considered the idea of a preemptive strike began to feel the risk of such an act. And now that so many worlds had already voted for, it would be pointless to do the opposite.

"The decision has been made" the Admiral declared.

"We have been in contact with the Coalition ever since we heard about the rogue Seraphim and we will now officially ask for their help. I ensure that everyone will hear about it when they arrive."

As the Admiral closed the meeting the crew of the _Valkyrie_ left the mess hall together with the crowd, all of them with different feelings. But just like everyone who had followed the meeting, their feelings had one thing in common. They all felt the slight pangs of fear deep inside their heart. The next couple of days would decide the fate of more than a few worlds.


	12. Chapter 9 The Hunt is On

**The Hunt is On**

Sleeping in the middle of the forest at night with no one standing watch over the others was a bad idea. The forests were always full of surprises but taking extra care during the nights was more of an instinct than a rule for the inhabitants of the forest. As an experienced hunter, armed with a hunting bow and arrow quiver, Kenagi knew that better than anyone. Yet he was fascinated by the bold but ignorant undertaking of this group of youngsters. It raised a few questions. _Younglings? All alone in the forest? _He wondered if this was some sort of test. Maybe this was a new way of the city people to let their children become warriors. If so, they certainly knew nothing about the basic rules of survival.

Kenagi was the son of the clan leader of the Trunali tribe. An experienced hunter and a strong warrior of a tribe of Sogowan Mantrins. The village was not far from here. In fact, the lake was one of the primary water sources of his tribe. One of their other hunters had spotted the children earlier today thinking it was some sort of camping trip but they didn't seem to have any of their usual equipment and electronic devices. Grown-ups were absent too. Thinking about grown-ups, Kenagi realized that the moons were already high up in the sky and his parents would probably be mad at him when he returned. However he couldn't resist studying the children for a little while longer. What if something happened to them and _he_ could've prevented it? _Never mind, I must get back in an instant._ The children weren't his problem. Their parents shouldn't have left them this way. But just when he backed away from the tree he used as cover, one of the children made a sound like he or she was in pain. Kenagi pricked his ears, sneaking up closer to the sleeping group. It was definitely a girl, judging by the pitch of her voice. It didn't take long before her moans woke up the others too, forcing him to seek cover. Removing his bow from his back he let himself drop on the ground and crawled behind a bush, trying to listen to what they had to say. Their language was very different from his, yet he tried to find out what was wrong with the girl. Maybe he could be of help.

_**Authors note: Music track 5**_

"No. No please."

They were close. The soldiers were closing in from behind. The beams of light coming from their weapons trying to catch her feet. Her hearts pounded in her throat as she ran for her life, the adrenaline rushing through her veins. Her brothers and sisters were captured one by one, their screams for help echoing through her head followed by gunfire and a deathly silence. Tears ran across her face as she heard those sounds being repeated over and over again. Until it finally came to a point that she couldn't take it anymore. This had to stop. She turned around only to face the blinding beams of light from the soldiers' guns.

"Leave them alone!" she screamed, punching her hands forward, launching a powerful wave of psycho-kinetic energy at her attackers.

At least she thought she did. Her futile attempt to strike back at the people who tried to kill them all was met by malicious laughter and the charge of a pulse rifle. What happened after that took only a fraction of a second. As in slow motion the blue pocket of energy left the muzzle of an invisible gun. She watched her body instinctively react to the sound of the approaching menace but when she traced the pulse to its target she knew she was too slow. When it made contact with her left arm, she screamed in agony, the nightmare disappearing in a flash.

The pain in her arm brought her instantly back to the here in now like a splash of cold water yet the pain remained, burning like her arm was one fire. Her face was wet too, only it weren't tears but cold sweat, or was it a bit of both? If there was one thing Shezu was sure of it was that something wasn't right. The burning feeling in her injured arm was joined by painful stings when she tried to move it. Sitting upright, she felt the cold sweat running down her back. Her forehead was glowing like a heater and even with the absence of the warmth of the fire it wasn't chilly, but she was shivering with cold. Moving closer to the burned remains of the fire, she noticed there were still some hot glowing particles left. However, she couldn't collect the energy to turn them into flames anymore. Her throat felt dry and when she tried to get up to drink some water from the lake, she couldn't do more than crawl. Moaning softly, pulling her hair out of her eyesight she began crawling on her knees towards the lake. Halfway through she collapsed with a soft scream. A scream that was heard by her brother Reyan. He woke up, rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and jumped to his feet when he heard his sister's scream for help.

"Shezu!" he yelled, waking up the others.

Sinking on his knees beside his injured sister he supported her head with his arm.

"Shezu, what's wrong? You're all glowing."

Feeling her sweaty forehead, he pulled his hand back like he literally burned it. She was panting and coughed when trying to speak.

"My arm hurts so much. Please Reyan. I need some water."

"I'll get you some."

"Sister, what's wrong?" Jicko asked, his worried face hovering over hers.

Her vision was starting to blur but she could still recognize the faces of her brothers and sisters in the pale moonlight.

"She needs water. Something's wrong" Reyan said, while Jicko continued supporting his sister's head when he ran off to the lake.

"She… She isn't sick isn't she?" Fran asked anxiously.

"I'm afraid so" Jicko admitted.

"She feels so warm. I think she has a fever."

Shezu could only vaguely hear their voices. It was like she woke up from a nightmare straight into another one. Reality had become the nightmare.

Reyan hastily dropped on his knees into the water, forming his clawed hands into a small bowl. His sister was sick. Very sick and she could die if she didn't get help soon. There was nothing they could do for her.

"_The wound"_ it flashed through his mind.

_That monster must have carried some nasty stuff under his nails._ Filling his hands with water he walked back to his sick sister, trying not to spill any. As Jicko helped her up, she drank from Reyan's hands. It was difficult and most of it went over her shirt but they didn't have anything that could make it easier.

"Thank you" she whispered, falling back in Jicko's arms.

The water made her feel a little bit better but the fever was weakening. She needed help soon but getting to a place where she could get the help she needed was going to be difficult.

"She needs help" Reyan decided, wiping off his hands on his shirt.

"We need to get her to a doctor."

"We can't" Syndar objected.

"Father told us what would happen if we made contact with the people. They will try to kill us. We've seen that."

"She'll die anyway if she doesn't get help!" Reyan snarled.

"Sorry" he added when he saw their shocked faces.

"It's just. I don't know else what to do" he said, shrugging.

"Reyan" Shezu brought out weakly.

"Don't risk the lives of your brothers and sisters over mine. I'll go and try to find help on my own. If something happens, they'll only have me."

"You can't do that" Reyan tried to change her mind.

"You can't even walk."

His answer immediately silenced his sister who had nothing to say against that. He was right. Even if she could walk, she probably wouldn't make it there in time. The infection was spreading and would eventually be lethal.

"Maybe those soldiers can help us" Reyan said desperately.

It was an enormous risk but they didn't have many options left. However this one wouldn't be among them cause the others protested instantly.

"No way. Did you see what they did to father?" Pynch objected.

"Yeah, your plan will only get us all killed" Reylyn said teasingly.

"It does not!" Reyan barked.

"Does too" Reylyn replied, sticking out her tongue.

"Hey c'mon guys, get a hold of yourselves. Your argument won't help her" Jicko came in between.

In the mean time, Shezu cobbled up every last bit of strength and scrambled to her feet, leaning heavily on her brother Jicko. She could walk but barely and only with someone supporting her. Unfortunately they didn't have time to decide which plan they would use. Beams of light penetrated the darkness between the trees surrounding the lake. The sound of approaching footsteps accompanied by the cracks of branches drew closer. It didn't take long before the lights on the ground had caught them in their circular boundaries.

"Halt! In the name of the Emperor!" the heavy voice of a soldier yelled.

"Don't let them get away!"

The voice behind that last sentence sounded awfully familiar. All eight children instantly knew it belonged to the soldier who lead his squad into their home. The warrior who ordered his men to fire on their father and to capture his children, to capture _them_.

"Run!" Reyan yelled, blocking the path of the approaching squad.

He placed his feet a little wider apart for more grip and held up his hands. He took the swelling anger inside him and turned it into a powerful weapon, one that grew in strength with each use. He felt it every time he used his special ability. It was still exhausting but he eventually came to realize that he was capable of much more. Shezu told him that father believed that too and showed her what she could do if she put her mind to it. She told him that father was beginning to think that there was no actual limit to their power. If they used it often enough, their strength would grow which each time. He jerked his back at the others, trying to concentrate at the same time.

"Go! I'll hold them off!"

Doing as he said, his brothers and sisters took Shezu and ran as fast as they could. Powered by nothing but adrenaline and the will to survive, Shezu's legs somehow got some of their strength back. Fighting against the pain in her arm and her fever she ran, the tree line only a few more meters away from them.

"Eyza no!" Reylyn cried.

"Take care little sister" the Sonowan girl said to her mentally.

"I'll have to help your brother out. He won't make it on his own."

"But, what about you?" she asked sadly.

The small nod and the mental sign Eyza gave her was somehow enough to convince her to run.

"Reylyn c'mon!" Pynch yelled.

The little girl turned her head away from her sister, silent tears running down her cheeks. The others waited for a moment to allow her to catch up with them. After that they disappeared into the forest, not looking back.

In the mean time the soldiers were having their hands full on Reyan and Eyza. They did have the guns but the children were essentially their own weapons. Weapons in some way superior to any weapon thrown against them. Treji watched angrily and astounded as two of his warriors were launched backwards and smacked against the ground as if they were launched by an invisible catapult.

"_A boy and a girl" _he thought, biting his teeth.

_Two small children._ He stepped forward with his pulse rifle at the ready. He steadily aimed for the girl and pulled the trigger. The attack came so unexpected that she didn't even have time to react. The blast was powerful but the weapon was set on heavy stun so it would only sedate her. The pulse hit her in the shoulder knocking her backwards, her body hitting the grass with a soft thump.

"Nooo! Eyza!" the boy yelled in panic.

But he recovered quickly and growled at them, his tail thumping on the grass, like he was challenging him to attack.

"I'll blow your brains out you… you…"

His threat ended in a frustrated growl, his balled fists shaking from anger. Treji let out a laugh that sounded more like a bark when his gaze met the boy's.

"I admit you are capable of some fancy tricks little boy" Treji mocked.

"But you're gonna have to try harder than that. You need more than tricks to defeat an elite."

"Then you're in for quite a surprise!" Reyan shouted back, stamping his foot on the ground.

His powerful mind fueled by rage, the energy seemed to come out of nowhere, like a closed valve that had always been there finally opened itself. With a swift stroke he punched his clawed hand forward, launching an invisible wave of energy at the soldier. Treji's body was lifted off the ground, like gravity didn't exist and was tossed away like a pebble by an invisible force. It was so powerful that the armor protecting his chest dented, pressing the air out of his lungs. Treji had to admit to himself that he was indeed surprised, just as the boy told him he would be. When his body made a rather rough contact with the grass he made a mental note that he wouldn't let himself be taken by surprise again. Scrambling to his feet and rapidly running out of patience over the fact that his soldiers couldn't even handle this little brat he aimed at the boy with a swift movement and pulled the trigger. His move was quick, unexpected and deadly, typical for a warrior with his skills. But the boy with his enhanced reflexes was faster and Treji had to admit that he had let himself been taken by surprise for the second time. His accurately fired plasma pulse was harmlessly deflected. Deflected by the back of the boy's hand! He just slapped it out of the sky, like he chased away an insect. A tiny little crack had appeared in his self-confidence. He didn't expect the hunter to become the hunted.

"_This is unreal_" he thought, watching the boy move closer.

But his eyepiece told him otherwise. The little device linked to his brain and weapon detected the energy responsible for the boy's abilities and it was a lot of it. His copper-colored eyes were the same as his, typical for a Sogowan but the child's were filled with something that was best described as pure rage.

"You are so dead!" Reyan spat.

He didn't even notice that tiny electric shocks crawled over his balled fists, crackling from the restrained energy. This is what Shezu meant. There was no limit to their power, it could only grow stronger. With each use he was capable of handling more. And this soldier, this murderer would feel his rage. He secretly enjoyed the pain he caused on the guy who tried to kill his father, the look of fear in his eyes when his futile attempts to shoot him down failed with the slap of a hand. The warrior did a step back when he slapped away another blue glowing plasma pulse. He fiddled with his weapon, the panic now clearly on his face, setting the weapon to kill. He brought it closer to his face, aiming down the muzzle, both his eyes and the piece of technology registrating a clean lock. But the boy who only seemed to be focused on him didn't expect another attack from behind. He was genuinely surprised when the butt of Treji's squad mate's rifle made contact with the back of his head. The crackling energy in his fists died out and with his legs suddenly unable to carry his weight, he collapsed to the ground, face down.

"Good job" Treji praised, recovering from the boy's action.

He took a few deep breaths to recover. He didn't like to be caught in such perilous positions. The fact that despite his powers, his opponent had only been a child didn't help much either. Looking over the area, he noticed that a reinforcement squad had just arrived, warned by him about the children's position. Too bad that they were already gone but he was glad when his men informed him that part of his team had followed the rest of the children into the forest. They were hot on their tails and would soon catch up with them.

"Excellent. We'll follow immediately."

"Aye sir" the Goureg replied.

"Eh Captain, what about the other two?"

"Been taken care of" the leader of the other squad replied.

"We'll take 'em back to the LZ."

Over the other Captain's shoulder, Treji could see that two of his man took the unconscious boy and girl under their arms and carried them away. They had a small trans-atmospheric shuttle standing by not far from here that would take any captured children back to base.

"Keep a close eye on them and keep them sedated at all times."

"We'll do. Now let's move!"

He didn't have to repeat that. The remains of the two squads followed the trail of the children and the other half of Treji's squad into the forest. They wouldn't be as fast on their smaller legs and Treji didn't exclude the possibility that his well-trained men had already caught up with them. _Maybe we can call this mission a success after all._

With her hearts pounding in her ears Shezu noticed that the blips of Reyan and Eyza had disappeared off her mental radar. They were either unconscious or dead and she feared for the latter. Tears began to mix with the sweat on her face. She was tired to death and only the adrenaline and the fear to get caught kept her going. She had much more trouble keeping up because of her illness and the stings in her arm kept getting worse. It was just like in her dream. The dream was somehow becoming reality. It scared her and made her run even faster. She just knew that the soldiers were after them. When she concentrated enough she could sense them coming. But her moment of concentration made her less aware of her environment and the inevitable happened. She didn't know if she tripped or just couldn't keep her legs moving anymore but she fell and couldn't get up. Her arm felt like it exploded and a scream of help left her beak. Her breath came with quick and irregular bursts and she felt herself beginning to lose consciousness.

"Keep running, they're still after us!" Jicko encouraged the others.

Just like the others he sensed the loss of Reyan and Eyza but knew he couldn't think about that right now. He told to himself that they weren't dead and that they had to get to safety first. But just when he realized he lost track of his ill sister her scream of help echoed through the forest.

"Shezu!" he yelled, coming to a stop just in time.

Not just because Shezu collapsed but also because an unknown Mantrin suddenly showed up from behind a tree, shouting something in a strange language. What little light of the moons shining through the roof of the forest was enough for his enhanced eyes to see that he was not one of the soldiers and that he was a Sogowan. He wore little clothing and the hunting bow strapped to his back made him realize that this must be one of those primitive people his father told them about. Strangely enough, he understood what he tried to tell him and that he wanted to guide them to safety. Even without scanning his mind to find out if he was sincere, he trusted him somehow. But he couldn't leave his sister behind.

"Please, you have to help our sister" Jicko implored.

The Mantrin gave him a quick nod and as the children continued on the way he directed he headed back to retrieve Shezu.

With the forest around her fading, Shezu realized it was over. Her body gave up on her and no matter how hard she tried, her legs just couldn't carry her weight anymore. She was still vaguely aware of what happened around her and she noticed that her brothers and sisters were following a different direction. But someone was coming closer. Someone not part of the squad of soldiers. She didn't know if she could trust this person but then she couldn't even fight back. Suddenly he was close, his heavy footsteps thumping on the dirt. She felt how two strong arms lifted her broken body off the ground, heard the steady rhythm of his breathing. Somehow she knew she was safe and fell asleep.

Walking back to catch up with the rest of the younglings, Kenagi looked at the girl in his arms for a moment. She was a beautiful young girl; part Sogowan but her golden hair with the silvery streaks and the longer, more flexible tail with the fluffy white tip were definitely Fjetahna traits. His father almost certainly had a few questions to ask about this crossbreed. Intermarrying between races was strictly forbidden in his tribe, as were many, that only contained Sogowans. That didn't mean they were not allowed to associate with members of another race but having children was out of the question and could mean banishment from the tribe for the offenders. But for now, he had to get her to safety. It didn't take long for him on his bigger legs to catch up with the exhausted children. When he joined with them they were all out of breath.

"Keep going" he said, knowing that the language problem was going to be an obstacle.

Nonetheless they knew what he was saying and forced themselves to keep moving.

"Shezu. Is she all right?" the dark brown Talocaan boy who had begged him to retrieve the girl he was holding in his arms asked.

"She will live" he muttered under his breath, knowing he couldn't understand him.

"But we have to get you to the village."

Not sure if he told him good news the boy turned his face away, a tear rolling over his cheek. Kenagi wondered what they had done to deserve this. And those soldiers. He had seen that they shot the other girl and the boy was holding his own against them. But it was really confusing. The other two children just used their hands and their attackers were tossed away like stones. They didn't even touch them and didn't seem to have used a weapon of some kind. He had never seen anything like that. But nevertheless they were children. Why would the city people be shooting at children? _They couldn't have done anything that bad. Could they?_ He just couldn't look at it. He had felt the urge to aid them. The arrow had already been lying on the string of his bow when the girl was shot but at the last moment he decided to follow his father's rule never to shoot at the city people. They had guns. There was nothing he could have done against their advanced weaponry.

Suddenly the shouting coming from behind snapped him back to the present. They were on to them! But it was only a couple of more meters to the village. His brains kicked into their highest gear when he thought of what to do next. The girl couldn't walk on her own and he couldn't ask her brother to carry her. He needed both hands for his bow but shooting was already out of the question. Instead, he flung the girl over his shoulder, grabbed his bola from the leather belt around his waist and turned around to face his opponents. Still, he hesitated for a short moment. The bola was weapon with three heavy balls attached to ropes and was primarily used for the hunt. That could prove a problem when used against another Mantrin because of their much wider leg span. Combat versions with longer robes hadn't been used in decades since the last clan war was generations ago. But it was his only option and he decided to go through with it. If he tossed it just right it could work.

"_They will never expect this" _he thought, seeking cover behind a tree.

"Now we have them" Treji sneered, smelling victory.

His eyepiece detected their bio-signs at a few meters in front of him, automatically locking his weapon on their signatures.

"You're all cleared to fire at will but keep your weapons on stun."

"Aye sir" one of his men replied locking his weapon on one of the designated targets.

But just before he had the chance to pull the trigger, the sound of something heavy floating through the air reached Treji's ears followed by the cracking of bones and a scream. When he jerked his head around to try and find out what happened, his man was lying on the dirt with a primitive bola around his right leg. It was broken because of the force behind the throw and judging by his screams he was out of commission. Treji bit his teeth in annoyance. A growl escaped his beak when he used his eyepiece to identify the potential threat. It was a primitive weapon but could it be very effective in the hands of a person with the right skills.

"Unknown contact sir. Distance: seventeen meters" a soldier of the other squad stated.

"Yeah, tell me something I don't know" Treji muttered under his breath.

The silhouette of a Mantrin stepped from behind a tree and into the pool of moonlight that fell through the leaves of the trees. He was large, very muscular and he had one of the children hanging over his shoulder.

"What do we do now sir?" one of the soldiers asked his squad leader.

The other Captain didn't respond. They had the make the decision know. The rest of them were escaping.

"_Damned clever" _Treji though grinding his teeth.

_Seeking protection with the people of the forest. But that won't work on me. _

"Sir? It doesn't look like he's too eager to let us pass."

"Then get him out of our way" Treji hissed, a dangerous glittering in his eyes.

His man hesitantly lifted his weapon and aimed at the unknown Mantrin who suddenly spoke in an old forgotten dialect. Using the build-in translator of his eyepiece he was able to understand what he was saying.

"Your kind is not welcome here" he said.

"Please leave and take your men with you."

In the mean time the wounded soldier with the broken leg was helped back on his feet. He tossed the bola back to its owner, the heavy balls of the weapon hitting the moist dirt with dim thumps. An angry growl escaped his throat, a poisonous look in his eyes. The hunter picked up his weapon and hang it back on his belt. He was still blocking their path.

"I've got enough of this" Treji snarled, aiming his pulse rifle at the primitive Mantrin's chest.

"Sir! We have strict orders not to fire on the locals" the Captain of the other team warned him.

"Not when he's interfering with _my _mission" Treji bit back, his finger around the trigger.

"Sir, I'm ordering you to put down the weapon!"

"You don't outrank me _Captain_" he snarled.

"Treji, if you pull that trigger I'm forced to relieve you of your rank and put you on report!"

"Shove it!"

But before he could eliminate the target there was a hissing sound and a thump he could feel resonating in the underside of his feet. When he looked down there was a meter long feathered arrow sticking in the ground between his feet, the tip disappeared into the soft soil. When he looked up again to trace back the projectile to the weapon two more hunters had joined the one with the girl over his shoulder. Their bows were in their hands, the tips of the arrows on the tensed strings aimed for his chest. It made him hesitate. Until the point he lowered his weapon. There was no way he could evade those arrows and he was not going to lose his commission over this.

"Leave" the hunter with the girl over his shoulder repeated.

"Now you still can."

The other two lowered their bows and all three turned their backs on him. Treji choked with fury when he watched that insolent gesture. _The nerve! _But his weapon wouldn't help him out this time. Instead, he swallowed his anger and tried a different approach.

"Wait" he called, at which the three came to a halt.

"You're holding our people hostage. I'm ordering you to release them and hand them over to us in an instant."

The middle hunter only gave him a look over his shoulder and chuckled.

"Hostage? I don't see how children who seek protection are called hostages. Protection from you. They're safe with us, you'll have my word."

With those last words he walked on leaving Treji behind in powerless anger. There was nothing they could do now. They needed to report back and discuss how to proceed. They had an unofficial non-aggression treaty with the local tribes so taking the children by force would only destabilize their relationship with the people. They had to do this the other way.

"All right everyone. Let's go back to base" the other Captain said gathering his men.

Treji sighed deeply and followed. He was defeated in his own game. They made a move he did not anticipate. All the time he thought they had nowhere else to go but he had never taken the tribes into consideration. It made him mad. He had made an error and it only made things more difficult. But at least they knew where they resided. The Trunali tribe, he had the location of their village on the tacmap on his eyepiece. Now he only needed to wait for another moment to strike.


	13. Chapter 10 Shezu's Ordeal

**Shezu's Ordeal**

Jicko's hearts were pounding in his throat when they closed in on the flickering shine of fire between the trees. The village was close by and he wondered if these people were willing and able to help Shezu. He was walking next to his brother and the male Mantrin carrying his sick and unconscious sister in his strong arms. Little Reylyn and Fran held the hands of their bigger brothers, the anxiety a little too much for them. There was a tense silence as no one spoke a word. Even in the darkness of the forest he had seen the paintings on the faces and bodies of the hunters. The bright colors contrasted with their brown skin and were even visible in the dark. They were used to identify the members of the tribe and there were a few different ones, one for each type of clan member. A hunter for example would have different paintings then a warrior. But Jicko wasn't interested in the customs of the people at the moment. The Mantrin carrying Shezu seemed benevolent to help but he was not so sure about the other two. The one on his right was a male and didn't pay much attention to the young children. The one on his left was female and she shot him a stealthy glance just when he looked in her direction. Jicko looked away in an instant but had felt the spark when her eyes pierced in his. She was not the friendly talkative type, that was for sure.

"Don't be afraid" Kenagi said so abruptly that he startled the children.

"You won't be harmed. You have my word."

His calm low-pitched voice had a soothing effect on them. There was only truth in his words but he wondered if the tribe was willing to help this crossbreed girl. There were rules to follow but he figured that the girl, the boy walking next to him called her Shezu, wasn't part of any tribe so that meant the rules in some way didn't apply to her. There was not further reason why she didn't deserve their help. They couldn't just let her die. A few moments later, he guided the children through the village of large huts made out of branches and clay. Each family had its home decorated in their own unique way, with colorful patches of cloth, feathers, strings of teeth from various animals and many other things. Light was provided by fire torches situated near the entrance of each dwelling. The village was pretty large, the average tribe counting forty to sixty members, including children. Kenagi guided the children to the three large fires on the square in the middle of the community. At least one of those fires had to be kept alive at all times as an oath to Kirliya. All Mantrins shared the same belief and worshipped the First Warrior and so did the Trunali. Furthermore the fires were used for all kinds of stuff, like cooking and forging. It was also their source of warmth during the cooler season.

"Don't be afraid" Kenagi repeated, watching the children group closer and closer together.

Several members of the tribe decided to take a look at what all the commotion was about and their glances frightened the children.

"Oh, city children" a mother with two kids said.

"Hey there little one" one of the larger males greeted them, his friendly way of speaking having the opposite effect.

Kenagi kept walking into the direction of the three fires. It didn't take long before one of the children spotted the bigger hut with the head of a _Vexathyr_ hanging above the opening. The light of the fire reflected in the razor-sharp teeth in the wide-open mouth, increasing the intimidating effect, yet it was only a hunting trophy. It was also the reason why his father was still their unrivaled Chieftain. Successfully killing one of the most dangerous predators of the forest was the highest honor that could be bestowed on a hunter. The excitement of the villagers had woken him up as his father was always immediately aware when something was going on in town, even when he was asleep. He stood in front of the hut, making himself look tall, the tip of the fighting staff in his right clawed hand buried into the dirt. The feathered crown on his head indicated his status as leader.

"_Oh father, why do you always have to look so intimidating? They're just children" _Kenagi thought, trying to evade the piercing look his father shot him.

He had already seen the girl in his arms.

"Son, what have you brought to our village this time in the middle of the night?" he grumbled.

"Who is that?" one of the children mumbled.

"He must be the Chief."

"Quiet" Ayi'kutan said slowly.

The children immediately fell silent under the heavy sound of his voice. They were nailed to the ground, standing closely together, their bodies touching each other.

"Fran, you're standing on my foot!" Reylyn whispered.

"Sorry" the Goureg boy replied.

"Well father. They were hunted by the city people with their 'light weapons'. I believe they wanted to kill them."

The people who had gathered around him to see the children let out cries of indignation. It was indeed unthinkable what they had done to them. Two of them were already dead or captured or whatever it was they did to them.

"And then they call us primitive. It seems the city people are even more barbaric then I thought" Ayi'kutan said gravely, his eyes catching the unconscious girl in his son's arms.

He flattened an ear and stepped closer, the children crouching even further. Kenagi did a step towards his father, stepping half in between him and the group of younglings.

"Who is this girl Kenagi? She a cross, a mixture of two races. She is the child of two offenders of our traditions. You know the rules. She can't stay here."

"Father please. They asked for my help. I promised them I would give it to them. She's sick and she will die if she doesn't get help from a healer."

"Hmm" Ayi'kutan muttered thoughtfully.

He was honestly giving it a thought. But the traditions stated that offenders must be banished from the tribe. They could never return under any circumstance.

"I'm terribly sorry Kenagi, but I can't offer this child my help. The others can stay if they like but the crossbreed can't."

"Please father" Kenagi implored, with a look at the children, whose eyes were begging him to save the girl in his arms.

"She's not part of any tribe. Her parents aren't either. We can't let her die."

"I've made my decision Kenagi!" Ayi'kutan grumbled.

"I can't have you telling me what I can and can't do! Take the girl away. She can't stay."

With those last harsh words he turned his back on him and the children. Kenagi noticed his mother standing in the opening of their hut with a worried look on her face. He knew she didn't want the girl to die either but her mate was a man of tradition without exceptions. It was done the way he told them to. Despite the fact that the children didn't speak their language, they had very well understood that his father had just condemned their sister to death. The Orketh girl began to cry, her brother flinging an arm around her shoulder. Another one, the brown Talocaan boy left the group and fell on his first set of knees in front of Ayi'kutan and begged. He begged, despite the fact that Ayi'kutan couldn't understand his words if he could please save his sister. Jicko's emotions reached the boiling point at that moment. His desire to save his sister no matter the cost was so strong that he was unaware that he mentally reached out to the Chieftain and everyone else. His words didn't matter anymore, not in comparison to the overwhelming burst of emotion that hit Ayi'kutan's mind.

Kenagi had never felt anything like this before. It was not just his father but everyone around him who was affected. He noticed it too. Just looking at the crying boy made his whole inside turn cold. Cold with an intense feeling of grief. His breath caught, his throat blocked by a lump that came out of nowhere. It was as if the girl in his arms was his own sister, who was about to die. The persistence to save his sister was so strong that he hit everyone with it. Ayi'kutan's breath came with short bursts when he recovered from the overwhelming wave of emotion and turned around.

"Please, I'm begging you" Jicko brought out, the tears flowing down his cheeks.

"What… What's he doing?"

"I think, he's begging for your help father" Kenagi replied slowly, amazed by the boy's will to save his sister.

She was still lying in his muscular arms, unconscious. Her condition was worsening. If his father decided to save her he needed to do it quickly. Ayi'kutan swallowed. He had never felt anything like that.

"_I can't do this"_ he realized.

_It's not her fault that she's a cross. _

"All right" he said reluctantly.

"Kenagi, take her to the Shaman. She will decide if her life can be saved."

"Thank you father" Kenagi replied, making a slight respectful bow.

He turned around with a whip of his tail and brought Shezu to the hut of their healer. In the mean time Jicko bowed deeply, not knowing how to thank the Chief. Pynch bowed through his knees beside his brother, softly patting him on the back.

"You did it brother. They're going to help her."

Jicko looked up, his whole face wet from the tears.

"I hope it's not too late" he sobbed, wiping them away with the back of his hand.

When he stood up Reylyn wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. He softly caressed her head and spotted Kenagi. He was taking Shezu to a large beautifully decorated hut. It was the house of the healer and Shaman of the Trunali tribe, an older Sogowan female. The children followed quickly under the watchful gaze of Ayi'kutan and the villagers. The Chieftain shook his head and headed back inside his home. The next couple of days were proving to get interesting. There was something about these children and he couldn't quite figure out what. But he would find out soon enough.

"Quick, take her inside" Fri'kaja said.

Kenagi was always a little anxious when being inside the hut were the old Shaman performed her healing techniques and made contact with the spirit realm. He didn't know what to think of it but he secretly thought of her as being out of her mind. It was just her way of doing things.

"Put her down on the bed" she said a little curt, searching through her collection of herbs and elixirs on the shelves along the right wall.

Kenagi flattened an ear when she grabbed a couple of them and began inspecting them. She opened a small clay jar, sniffed and took a sip, only to spit it out in a rain of fluid and spittle. Then she inconsiderately tossed the bottle containing the unknown substance over her shoulder.

"Useless" she hissed.

Another little pot with a powder-like substance made her sneeze loudly when she sniffed. It didn't take long before it joined the broken jar in the corner of the room. In the mean time Shezu, who was lying in the middle of the room under the hole in the roof on the heightened bed was starting to regain consciousness. She took a shrieking breath and coughed violently. Not knowing what was happening to her, she began to panic and ramble because of the fever.

"Hold her or she will injure herself!" Fri'kaja snarled.

"Okay, okay" Kenagi replied walking over to the panicking girl.

Her eyes were bulging out of the sockets and she was lashing with her arms and kicking with her legs. Her golden hair and shirt were soaked with sweat and she screamed in panic. Her brothers and sisters watched in horror from the opening of the hut. The three older boys comforted Fran and Reylyn as they couldn't look at it.

"No Shezu!" Syndar yelled.

"What are those children doing here? Kenagi take them away!"

"I only have two arms!" he bit back.

_Crazy old woman. _He knew it was wrong to question a Shaman. It could cause bad luck but she annoyed him immensely. Finally Fri'kaja was done and seemed to have the stuff she needed to begin. She walked over to entrance, the children jumping aside for her massive legs.

"You two! Get me more of these!" she shouted to a pair of hunters standing guard near the fires.

She was holding a green star-shaped leaf between the remarkably long claws of her right hand.

"And not the small ones! I need big ones! As big as possible!"

"But ma'am. It's dark" one of them complained.

"Then bring a torch! By Kirliya, do I have to think for everyone around here?"

"Yes Shaman" the hunter replied, grabbing a torch and trudging into the direction of the forest.

"Better let us do the thinking" Kenagi muttered a little too loud.

"Did you say something Kenagi?" Fri'kaja sneered.

"No ma'am."

"You may be the Chief's son but that doesn't mean you are almighty. Now step aside and take those children to a place safe. This girl might be possessed by dark spirits and I may have to exorcise them."

Kenagi bit his teeth when he stepped away from the bed and let her perform her healing techniques. He grew tired of her commanding him and was one more word away from putting his fists at work. But instead, he turned his back on her and walked back to the children who feared for the life of their sister. Shezu was going wild in the mean time. She lost control and as the older woman was about to discover, that was a dangerous thing in her case. Her hands sparked with unleashed and uncontrolled psycho-kinetic energy. A couple of jars filled with water near the entrance exploded spilling their contents over the ground. Fri'kaja flattened an ear.

"She is possessed" she whispered.

She brought her hand up and slapped the girl right in her face.

"No! What are you doing? You have to help her!" Jicko yelled, trying to free himself from Kenagi's arm.

But the blow and the stinging pain instantly calmed her down. Coughing and panting she let her arms fall down on the bed. Her hands stopped sparking and it seemed like she got the control back. Fri'kaja snorted derisively.

"That's what you get with these crossbreeds" she hissed.

"They're weak. Easy prey for evil spirits. Kenagi take them away!" she ordered.

Kenagi did as she said, against his will.

"Come" he said, wanting to lead them to an empty hut to spend the rest of the night.

But the children didn't move. They wanted to stay with their injured sister, who was according to Fri'kaja also possessed by a dark spirit.

"Please come. Your sister is possessed by an evil spirit. She probably doesn't recognize you now. It is better if you come with me."

Jicko looked at the Mantrin hunter who had kept his promise to help them. He was obviously trying to tell them something. He still didn't know his name but the old woman and the Chief had called him Kenagi. He knew he could trust him and maybe it was better to listen to what he had to say and follow him. Shezu's life was now in the hands of the Shaman and Kirliya would decide if she would live or not. Taking small steps he began to walk away from the hut of the Shaman, the others following him, except for Fran and Syndar.

"C'mon Fran" his brother urged him.

"But, but…" the Goureg boy protested, his bright blue eyes gleaming with tears.

"It's better not to look" Syndar said, grabbing his little brother's hand.

Fran nodded briefly and let himself been taken away by his brother. They followed Kenagi to an empty hut which was used for guests and as a private place if someone of the tribe wanted to spend some time alone. Relationship problems were rare and divorces non-existent since a bonding was made for life and could not be broken. If a mated pair had a problem with each other, they had to work it out. But this time the hut would serve as a guest house for five and later maybe six children. Inside there where beds on the ground and enough blankets to keep the children warm during cooler nights. The children each picked a bed and sat down on the primitive mattress of animal skin filled with soft material. But before Kenagi could leave he was held back by the voice of the brown Talocaan boy. The boy patted his chest.

"Me Jicko" he said.

He pointed at him.

"What's your name?"

Kenagi turned around and patted his chest too.

"Kenagi" he said.

"_Interesting" _he thought.

_They want to get to know me. _He was drawn back into the hut by the enthusiastic looks on the youngsters' faces and his own curiosity. He couldn't blame them. He was their savior, sort of. He removed the hunting bow from his back and put it against the wall near the entrance. Then he sat down cross-legged in the center of the half circle of beds in the back of the hut, thumping his tail on the ground. One by one they introduced themselves to him. The first thing he noticed was that their names were so different from what he was used to. Much simpler but without a deeper meaning, derived from ancient names that were lost long ago. At least he wouldn't forget them.

"Where are you from?" he asked.

"Who are your parents?"

Five little ears flattened and he realized that he needed to find a solution for the language problem. But one of them moved closer to him, trying to make eye contact. It was the brown Talocaan boy again.

Jicko wondered if he should do this. Establishing a mental connection would make everything clear within a split second but he ran the risk of putting the people's backs up. The healer's words made clear that these primitive people still believed in dark spirits. He and even his father didn't doubt the existence of supernatural beings entirely but the people might harm them, thinking they were possessed by evil. But he trusted upon Kenagi's sincerity and his courage and decided to go through with it.

"I'm going to make contact with you" he said, aware that Kenagi still couldn't understand what he was saying.

"Please trust me. Trust my brothers and sisters as we trusted you. Don't be afraid. It won't hurt."

That was not entirely true, as Kenagi would find out soon enough. Making contact with someone's mind for the first time could be a little overwhelming. It wouldn't cause any physical pain but the shock of someone entering your mind, like a thief breaking into your house, your personal vault could make your skin crawl. Jicko knew that if he did his best, he could uncover the hunter's darkest secrets, things no one should be allowed to know except for himself. And father had strictly forbidden any of them to do that. It could severely hurt someone's feelings; wound someone's pride to dig up memories of things that had been carefully hidden in that person's mind. It was one of the most terrible forms of abuse someone with telepathic abilities was capable of.

Kenagi flattened an ear, as the boy moved closer and sat down cross-legged in front of him. _What's he doing? _When he moved closer, he first thought that the boy was going to tell him a secret but that still wouldn't make any sense if they didn't understand each other. He nodded vaguely, with a confused expression on his painted face. Jicko confirmed his nod with one of his own and took a deep breath.

"All right. Here we go."

Kenagi watched intriguingly as the Talocaan boy in front of him closed his eyes and stretched out his hands. Was this some sort of ritual the city people performed? If so, what did it mean? Were they friends now? Was he thanking him for his rescue and the hospitality of his people in some sort of way? Kenagi's mind filled up with more and more questions in the few seconds he and the boy were sitting like this. The other children watched them as they sat, their gleaming eyes fixed on what happened invisibly between them. It made him nervous, not knowing what to do. But he didn't even dare to ask, afraid that his bluntness insulted the boy by disturbing the ritual or whatever it was. In the mean time Jicko concentrated his energy and mentally reached out to the man in front of him. Very carefully he made contact with the young hunter's mind, using just enough energy to enter the outer layer of the hive of thoughts. He had to be on constant alert. One mistake could completely fry Kenagi's synapses resulting in brain damage and an almost certain death. He had to avoid that at all costs. Kenagi had been unaware of the boy's mental intrusion until he suddenly gasped for breath when he heard a voice. A voice coming from inside his head.

"Can you hear me?" Jicko's voice said.

To his astonishment, Jicko was still sitting in front of him, motionless like a statue. Yet he was speaking to him, in a universal language of thought patterns understandable to any intelligent being.

"Yes, I can hear you. What is this? What are you doing?" he said aloud.

"Shhh. Don't speak. Think. Don't be afraid. I trusted you. I trusted you from the first time we met in the forest. Now I'm asking you to trust me. Do you trust me?"

"Eh eh" Kenagi thought with a nod.

"I won't tell you who we are. Where we're from. I'll show you."

Shortly after that, Kenagi's mind filled with images. Images of someone's life; Jicko's life. It was as if he lived Jicko's whole life in just a couple seconds. It was however still a bit confusing, remarkably short and it didn't really have a beginning. He had the feeling the boy only showed him the essential things but a big piece was missing. However he didn't want to be rude and ask why. Jicko kept the images coming at a steady pace. He didn't want to overload Kenagi's brain and trigger an epileptic seizure but when it was over the hunter was sweating and slightly panting. It was exhausting for his less-developed brain to handle such stress.

"Wow. I've never seen anything like that" he said aloud between two breaths.

He leaned back on his arms and stretched himself out. The edges of Jicko's beak curved into something that resembled a smile when he opened his eyes. He was still mentally connected but at a level just enough to communicate.

"You should keep your thoughts for yourself. I know a piece is missing but the truth is: I can't remember what happened. That's why it's missing. It just isn't there."

"Okay. I understand" Kenagi replied.

"In the mean time I've learned a lot about you."

He let out a mental laugh.

"I already had the feeling that I was begging _your father_ to save my sister."

"Yes, my apologies for that. My father can be very strict. You did the same to him as what you're doing to me right now, do you?"

"On a certain level yes. The problem with our telepathic powers is that when we lose control because of hefty emotions, the people around us will feel that as a direct result. They can feel the anger or grief like they are experiencing it for themselves. But anger usually manifests itself in bursts of energy which can be dangerous to others around us. You've seen what happened when Shezu lost control."

"Sounds like it's not just fun."

Jicko shook his head.

"Shezu even broke the arm of Syndar over there once. He teased her. He shouldn't have done that but she got real mad. I've never seen her like that. The fury in her eyes for a split second frightened me. She didn't do it on purpose, but the temporary loss of self-control unleashed a tiny fraction of her power on him. What happened after that even shocked her. She couldn't believe what she'd done, only because of a loss of control."

"By Kirliya" Kenagi brought out.

He knew everything about these children and it was still a little difficult to comprehend. He beginning to have an idea about the reason why those soldiers were after these children. They were afraid that their powers could pose a threat to others. But why would a child want to harm someone else?

"Jicko!" Reylyn nagged.

"C'mon don't keep us in suspense. What are you to talking about behind our backs?"

"Yeah, I bet he's telling him all kinds of little secrets about us" Syndar added, crossing his arms.

Jicko looked at them and smiled.

"If you wanna know, why don't you join us?" he asked aloud.

"Really? Can we?" Fran asked, already stretching out his clawed hands.

"Let's do it guys" Pynch encouraged them.

Kenagi watched bewilderedly as the children entered the imaginary room he and Jicko had been sharing before. It was like a meeting all inside their minds, moving their consciousness to a place without walls, without boundaries and where everything was possible. It was a wonderful and exciting way to get to know each other and he began to enjoy it. At first he had been a little anxious with the boy entering the territory of his mind but now they were really having fun. So much that they forgot about the fact that it was the middle of the night. A few moments later the sound of footsteps approached the hut and the children and Kenagi pricked their ears. The shadow appearing in the opening broke the mental link and instantly snapped them all back to the present. The children all burst into laughter and Kenagi laughed with them. The woman who entered the hut was his mother and she smiled and shook her head when she noticed her son sharing the same space with their guests.

"Kenagi, what are you doing? It's the middle of the night. Come, let them sleep. They must be tired."

The children all expressed their displeasure when Kenagi stood up. They all established a small telepathic link with both him and his mother so that they could follow the conversation. If they just kept their level of penetration low enough, they wouldn't even notice their presence in their mind.

"We were just having fun mom."

When Oywelu looked over her son's shoulders she spotted the smirking little children's faces, laughing at her. She shook her head again and chased away her son who grabbed his bow at the last moment and chuckled.

"Go to your bed. You have to get up early tomorrow. It's your turn to organize the hunt this time remember?"

"Yes mother."

"I'll watch the children for you tomorrow. Now go."

Following her son with her eyes, if he really did go home and sleep she sighed and turned her attention to the children.

"Go to sleep" she said with her warm voice.

"You're safe with us. May Kirliya watch over you and your sister."

With those words she closed the curtain in front of the entrance making it almost completely dark inside. What little light coming through the cracks in the walls and near the curtain was just enough to see each other, even with their enhanced vision. But sleeping was something they couldn't do just yet. Not before Shezu returned, safe and well.

Kenagi let out a sigh of relief when his back made contact with the soft mattress of his bed. He pulled the blanket over his body up to his neck and closed his eyes. Then he opened them and rolled on his left side, his face now directed at the wall. He let out a soft frustrated growl and rolled on his right side. It was all a little awkward because of his unusual leg configuration and tail but he just wasn't lying comfortable. But it was not the position he tried to sleep in that kept him awake. When he closed his eyes it was as if he could still hear the boy's voice in his head. Could he? No, Jicko wouldn't do that. But it was unbelievable what kind of abilities they had. He wondered if they were also really strong. _Guess I will find out soon enough. _But he wondered if he should keep this to himself or tell the others. But Jicko trusted him and he didn't want to damage his good relationship with the children. He trusted upon them to inform his people about their powers when the time was right. Satisfied with his decision to leave it up to them he turned around for one last time before he fell asleep, in his dream experiencing the excitement of the hunt, he had to organize tomorrow.

In the mean time Shezu had the feeling she was experiencing a nightmare. The intensity of the fever made her slightly delirious and she had seen things that were actually not there. The fever-induced visions had been frightening, horrible. It freaked her out. The face of the older woman hovering above her however was as real as the piercing pain in her left arm. She didn't know how she got here but the man who had picked her up before she lost consciousness certainly knew more about it. She studied the face above her for a moment. It was the face of a Sogowan female, an elderly woman. The strange symbols tattooed on her face and body and the collection of small wooden rings in the lobes of both ears made the possibility that she was among the people of the forest a very likely one. She was lying on a heightened bed in the middle of a primitive hut under a hole in the roof. When she tried to remember what happened and started to become aware of everything around her she noticed her cheek stung.

"_That's it"_ she thought.

The old woman had slapped her, right in her face. But that slap had made the hallucinations disappear.

"_Must have been the fever"_ she thought, feeling the cold sweat on her face and body.

The old woman had one hand firmly pressed on her middle, just under her breasts and muttered words in a strange language while she had her eyes closed in some sort of trance. It didn't take long for her to find out that they had taken her to some sort of Shaman.

"Hello, can you hear me?" Shezu asked carefully.

No reaction whatsoever. She kept muttering the same strange words. Only the pressure she put on her stomach increased.

"It is my arm that hurts not my stomach" Shezu said, raising her voice.

Still no response.

"Are you even listening to me?"

_What is she doing anyway? _She decided to wait for five more minutes. Then she would force her to let her go. But after a few more moments the Shaman finally stopped with her exorcism ritual and took a deep breath.

"_Finally"_ Shezu thought, letting out a mental sigh of relief.

But she wasn't finished yet.

"It is done" she said.

Shezu flattened an ear, not knowing what she said. She didn't feel any different. Not much. The fever was still there although it felt slightly less present then before.

Fri'kaja sighed and studied the results of her work. The Sogowan/Fjetahna girl looked back at her and seemed to have been freed from the evil inside her. Her face was still a little pale but the dark spirit had made her ill. She didn't forget to notice the bandage around the girl's left arm. _That must be the place where he entered her body. First I've got to finish this. _She grabbed a stone bottle that contained water blessed by the First Warrior took a big gulp and spat it all over Shezu. That would destroy any trace of the evil inside her. Shezu however was less than happy about it.

"Hey, I know I could use a bath but you don't have to spit on me!" she said indignantly.

"And you might wanna do something about your breath."

Fri'kaja flattened an ear and put the bottle back on the shelf with a bang. She acted like she didn't hear the indignant remark and walked over to Shezu's other side. She lifted her arm and inspected the blood-soaked bandage. The pieces of cloth were dirty and smelled. The infection was severe as she knew and the wound had to be cleaned. At that moment, the hunters she had sent out to collect fresh herbs with medicinal properties returned. The two men each had a small bag full. It would be more than enough, if they got the right ones.

"Did you get the big ones?" she snarled, snapping her head in their direction.

"Yes ma'am" the hunter replied, leaving as soon as her gaze passed over.

He and his friend tossed their findings near the rest of the Shaman's stuff and left. Fri'kaja carefully put one of her long claws under the bandage and cut it loose with a swift stroke, revealing the source of the infection spreading through Shezu's body. The girl let out a growl of pain and shot her an angry look but Fri'kaja didn't even see it. The wound hadn't been cleaned by the inexperienced youngsters creating a perfect breeding ground for harmful bacteria. Blood caked to the girl's diseased skin along the frayed edges of the two deep cuts. The skin around the wound had turned to a fiery red. Fri'kaja recognized the signature of a _Vexathyr's _attack in an instant, as she had seen those more than a few times.

"You're lucky to be alive" Fri'kaja quipped.

"But you should have cleaned that wound first little girl. Yes, the bandage will stop the bleeding. No, it won't stop the germs."

Shezu could see that the Shaman was clearly agitated when she saw the condition of her injury. It was stupid indeed. They should have cleaned that wound first. It would have saved her a lot of trouble. But being a Shaman and a healer, Fri'kaja continued her work. But first she needed water, to do what Shezu did not. A look on the shattered remains of the jars that had contained fresh water before Shezu destroyed them forced her to look for it elsewhere. She headed out leaving Shezu lying on the bed in the middle of the room.

It was almost completely silent, except for the sound of the crackling fires outside, the soft voices of the guarding hunters and the usual sounds of the forest in the middle of Sogowa's night. Her sensitive ears and enhanced hearing would have picked up every little detail, if it weren't for the fact that they spoke in a language completely non-understandable to her. And yet she was afraid to use her abilities to establish a telepathic link to let the mind of the older woman speak for her. It would make things so much easier. She shook her head to get rid of the idea. It was too risky. First she needed to find out where the others were taken to. When the Shaman was done treating her injury of course. She lifted her head of the pillow made of stuffed animal skins and slammed it back with a thud in annoyance. She added a soft growl and sighed. Beating her plumed tail on the mattress, her mind began to drift off to Eyza and Reyan. Tears came to her eyes when she thought about them. How the link between them was broken like a cut transmission. She wiped them away with fury and clenched her teeth. If she could only get her hands on that guy she would pay him back the pain he caused tenfold.

A few moments later Fri'kaja returned. Like most Mantrins she was still surprisingly strong for her age and didn't seem to have trouble carrying the clay jar. She put it down with a thump and removed the seal on top. She walked back to the shelves, grabbed some pieces of cloth and a stone bowl and filled it with water from the jar. After that she was busy for some time with all kinds of natural medicaments and quickly prepared a mixture of medicinal herbs to put on the wound.

Then she walked back to Shezu with her medicine and said to her at a much friendlier tone: "This might hurt a little."

She put everything down near her and assumed a more steady position on her legs to work from. Gently lifting the girl's arm she washed the wound with water, flushing away a great deal of the harmful bacteria and dirt. Shezu grumbled softly biting her teeth against the pain but knew she was only helping her. Slowly she began to feel thankful for what the Shaman did for her. She didn't even know her name but there was a simple way to uncover that part.

"I am Shezu" she said.

"Shezu."

She patted her chest until the older woman looked up from her work, twitching a ringed ear.

"Fri'kaja" she replied, continuing.

After she was done cleaning she carefully began applying her paste of herbs on Shezu's wound. The strong odor drove away the smell of the infected injury and would help to kill any remaining bacteria and increase the regenerative abilities of the tissue. Shezu was afraid of the painful sting when it made contact with her damaged skin. The pain came but was remarkably enough rapidly dispelled by the relieving effects of the mixture of plant extracts. When she was satisfied with her work, Fri'kaja began to bandage her patient's arm with a clean cloth. As if she were nursing a young child, which Shezu in fact was, she began to hum a song. The tone and rhythm made clear that it was a real children's song, sung only for the youngest. For reasons not entirely clear to her, it brought tears to Shezu's differently colored eyes. It had a familiar touch to it, like a faded memory, buried deep under the dust of time. Like a portion of the darkened part of her mind opened and closed itself with the rhythm of the song.

"Done" Fri'kaja said with a nod.

She straightened her back and gestured Shezu to get up. Slowly Shezu got up from the bed, touched by the wordless song. She looked Fri'kaja in the eyes, two triangular copper-colored eyes that had a slight twinkle. Fri'kaja flattened an ear.

"C'mon it can't hurt that much" she grumbled.

"Let me give you something for the fever. I'll take a look tomorrow, see how you're doing."

The crossbreed girl kept staring at her, making her feel slightly uncomfortable. Only now she saw that her eyes were both a different color, one dull green, the other icy blue. A tear left the blue one and suddenly she threw herself against her, startling her for moment, not sure what to do.

"Come my child. It's all right" she said with a much warmer voice than before.

She heard her sob softly as she patted her back, brushed through her soft golden hair with a claw. Shezu let her long prehensile tail hang in a sad gesture. She quivered softly in the old woman's arms. Fri'kaja snorted. It was a long time ago since she had children of her own this age. They had grown up, instead of finding a mate in their own tribe they had gone out to another. It was unlikely that she would ever see them again; it remained nothing more but a nice memory.

"Come. The sun will soon announce the beginning of the next day. You should sleep now and give your body its strength back."

Shezu looked up and separated from her arms, wiping off her tears.

"Thank you" she whispered.

Even though she didn't understand the language of the city people, Fri'kaja understood the grateful gesture.

"You're welcome. Although it is forbidden to help crossbreeds, Ayi'kutan still decided to save your life. You must be special then. However, this is the house of a healer and I would have done everything in my power to save you."

Shezu nodded vaguely, not knowing what she said.

"Come now" Fri'kaja urged.

She stuck out her clawed hand, which she took, holding her head in her other hand. Her fever had caused another headache, which was starting to get really annoying. Each time her feet made contact with the soil the steps resonated in her head like a pair of drums. She was still a little weak but she could walk on her own and the pain in her arm was now just a mild glow, instead of the white hot knife it was before. Guided by Fri'kaja she was brought to one of the large huts closer to the fires, feeling the piercing stare of the guarding hunters in her back. She didn't like that. Closing her eyes to concentrate, she smirked when they were suddenly fascinated by something other than her. Fri'kaja held still near the entrance of the hut and held the curtain aside for Shezu to enter.

"Your brothers and sisters are likely to be asleep" she said with a finger on her lips.

A scream of joy counteracted her words when Fran spotted his sister first.

"Shezu! You're back!"

He ran outside and threw himself against his sister, pulling his tongue across her cheek. Shezu laughed.

"Fran. You're pressing the life out of me."

Her brother backed off, wagging his tail in excitement. Shezu watched the others come out in good shape, until the painful awareness of the loss of Eyza and Reyan stung her like an angry bee. She felt the anger, burning inside her like an inferno. But she kept it under control this time, preventing it from tearing her apart from the inside. If she wasn't careful enough, her anger could destroy her loved ones, the thing she was trying to prevent at all cost. It partially disappeared when she felt the hand of Fri'kaja on her shoulder.

"Here, take this" the Shaman said, giving her a small bottle that contained a troubled liquid-like substance.

"It may not taste good, but trust me, it will help against the fever."

Without any distrust she took the bottle and sniffed. It didn't look very tasty and it smelled horrible but unless she wanted to spend the rest of the night bathing in her own sweat with a head that felt like it could burst at any moment it was the best option. Trying to block out taste for a moment, she emptied the bottle with one big gulp, feeling the thick foul tasting fluid slide down her throat. It left the most disgusting taste in her mouth and she held up her hand to cover her beak, vainly trying not to retch.

"Thanks, I think" she muttered, giving the empty bottle back to Fri'kaja, who began steering the group back into their hut.

"Go to sleep. You must be tired. I know I am" she said, adding a yawn, which she passed on to the children.

Tiredness was catching up to them and the sun was not going to wait to come up. Indeed it had been a terrible day without much rest. Guided by instinct, Shezu found the only bed that hadn't been touched yet, pulling the blanket over her body and tried just to let tiredness do the rest. However her thoughts began to wonder off to Reyan and Eyza and apparently so did those of the others. Reylyn sobbed softly.

"We… We're never going to see Eyza and Reyan again, are we?" she said tearfully.

"Don't talk like that Reylyn" Jicko replied in a comforting way.

"I'm sure they're still alive. They couldn't have murdered them."

His words were less than reassuring and Reylyn continued to sob softly. They didn't know what the intentions of those soldiers were. They could only make an educated guess and the conclusion was something they didn't want to think about right now.

"Are you all right Shezu?"

Syndar had crawled closer to her and the undertone in his voice betrayed his concern.

"What took you so long? What have they done to you?"

Shezu got up, staring at the contours of her brother's face. Her enhanced vision allowed her to see better in the dark but there was so little light available that even their eyes had trouble adjusting.

"I'm fine Syndar. I don't know what they did to me but I remember being in pain. That woman. She did something to me and now I'm feeling much better."

She raised her voice, trying to get the attention of the others.

"Okay, we don't know who these people are but I now know that they still believe in ghosts. It might be best to avoid showing them things, we shouldn't be able to do according to their standards. I'm not too eager to find out what will happen if they discover our little talent."

Jicko let out a laugh.

"Oh don't worry about that. The guy who rescued us? His name is Kenagi and in the mean time we got to know him better. They're good people but they live by certain standards. Deviation from the rules will be punished."

Shezu was dumbfounded by her brother's words. In all the time she had been careful not to draw any unwanted attention, her brother Jicko was showing them all the tricks they were capable of.

"Jicko! Have you gone out of your mind?" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, in fact I paid a little visit to his" he said in a rather laconic way.

"We all did."

"What did you tell him?"

Shezu didn't realize that she had crawled closer and closer to her brother. She was now almost near him.

"Nothing. I showed him who we were and in the mean time we learned everything about him and his people. That's all."

Shezu sighed and shook her head, pulling her hair out of her face.

"We'll talk about this tomorrow Jicko. Now go to sleep."

She returned to her own bed, leaving her brother in a confused state.

"What's the big deal?" he asked aloud.

"Sleep Jicko" Shezu grumbled, rolling over to her other side.

It remained silent after that, but in her thoughts she was still busy trying to come up with a plan to get the others back. The burning fire of the hate inside her was under control for now but she promised herself and the others that revenge would be the sweetest thing they ever tasted.

12


	14. Chapter 11 Change of Attitude

**Change of Attitude**

In all the fights he had been through, Preed had already lost count of how many times he had woken up with the vague sound of a heart rate monitor in the background. He knew what he was going to see if he opened his eyes, which would probably hurt like hell, like always after balancing on the edge of the abyss. The sterile environment of a sickbay or hospital was always the first sight he would see when every limb felt like as if been chopped into pieces and put back together in a sloppy way.

"_One day" _he thought.

"_One day, I'm going to run out of luck." _

But not this day. It was made painfully aware to him that he was still among the living, his soul slipped out of the hands of either the demons that would drag it down to hell, or the Gods of Akrennia that would take care of his life's essence forever. He couldn't tell which one it would have been but he was too afraid to let go and find out. When he had finally scraped the courage together to lift his eyelids by a mere millimeter he was met by, as expected, the painful sting of bright light. And as expected, he was lying in a hospital; white bed sheets, white walls and a white ceiling. _Perfect, everything seems to be normal. _But when he let his careful glance shift over to the right he hadn't expected the two orange eyes that stared back at him. For a moment, Ayko's stare looked exactly like her father's. Two eyes with such a warm color, still capable of such an icy cold stare. Having adjusted to the light, he opened his eyes and tried to avoid looking at her face.

"Please dear, don't give me that look" he groaned, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands.

"What? The 'you-are-a-complete-failure-look'. You mean that one?"

"You tell me" he replied dryly.

There were two more patients lying in the room with him, one on either side of his bed, both either sleeping or unconscious. Light of Akrennia's double sun entered the room on the left side through the window offering a view of the city. From what he could tell it was already late in the morning or early in the afternoon. Ayko sat on the edge of a small table near his bed, arms crossed. The sting in his underbelly when he tried to move to a different position to face his girlfriend made him wince and remembered him about the painful meeting with Khiosa's knife last night. Was it even _last_ night? For all he knew he had been lying here for the last several days and not woken up until now. He felt terrible, not just because of his injury but because he had lost the fight with his newest rival. He was an embarrassment to Ayko and her family and probably didn't deserve to be her mate. She didn't even try to use comforting words when she spoke to him, and right she was.

"C'mon Preed, this is embarrassing" she lamented, moving closer to him.

He let himself fall back in the pillows and groaned again.

"I know. I'm sorry" he said, knowing it wouldn't make much difference about how she felt about the situation.

"They took me by surprise. There were three of them."

To his surprise, she showed a spark of compassion towards him. Crossing her arms she chuckled.

"Well it looks like you cheated death once again. With a little help of course I might add."

"Why did you even bother?" Preed quipped.

"Oh c'mon, stop talking crap" she snarled.

"I couldn't just leave your there on the street in a pool of your own blood. However that probably would have saved me more humiliation."

"_That's my girlfriend" _Preed thought with a little bit of agitation.

_Rubbing salt in the wound at the perfect moment. _"But I couldn't do it. Besides, one more time and we can call it even." The expression on her face suddenly turned serious and he could see the sparkle of anger in her eyes. She snorted and looked away from him, occupied by her anger.

"I could have seen this coming. Khiosa is a guy who doesn't take no for an answer. I always knew he had an eye on me, although he was well aware the feeling wasn't mutual. But I never knew he had such a strong and secret desire to turn our friendship into something more."

"Why didn't he just kill me? I mean, make sure I wouldn't survive."

"I was starting to wonder the same thing" she muttered, giving it a thought.

If he truly wanted Preed dead, he could have done so easily. It wouldn't have required much more at that time.

"Maybe he _wanted_ you to live" Ayko suddenly blurted out, turning her head in his direction with a tug.

"Think about it. He couldn't get to me directly because if I'm dead, my family, for all I know my whole clan will avenge my death. And hell, the last thing he wants is a clan war with the Trsh'ka clan on the other side. But you on the other hand."

"If he kills me" Preed added, getting an idea about what she was getting at.

"No not kill you. This is all about embarrassment. He wants to get to me through you. He wants me to feel humiliated because of your failure. And with you still alive it makes matters far worse than with you joining your ancestors. However, Khiosa is not the type of guy for letting his victims live so there's pretty big chance he'll come back and finish the job."

"I guess that's a risk I'll have to take."

This was just great. The first day in years back on his homeworld and he had already turned one of the fiercest guys in the neighborhood into his arch enemy. _Well done Preed. _It was as if it was genetically determined that trouble seemed to find him wherever he went.

"No its not, cause next time you're gonna be ready for him."

"What do you mean darling?"

Ayko grinned, a grin she only displayed when she had something planned. It was definitely something he was not going to like.

"Sweet words won't help you out of this one. You're going to retrain. You need to stand up for yourself and you need to be able to do just that."

"Well I'd love to but it's not necessary. I can take care of myself just fine."

"Preed? You might not wanna mistake it for a suggestion. Not if you want to wear this."

She tossed him a small wooden box. Upon opening it, it revealed just the thing she promised him when she was the one lying on a hospital bed. Preed couldn't believe it at first but it was real nonetheless.

"I… I can't believe… This is a Commander's insignia badge" he stuttered.

"Really? I think I made a mistake then" Ayko replied sarcastically.

Preed couldn't believe it. He knew he disappointed her and couldn't make up for it any time soon. And yet she rewarded him. The idea of turning down the offer came up but was put down quickly. Actually a bit afraid of what she might do if he did, he flashed her a smile and uttered a few sweet words. Her father had been right about him. He was kind of an opportunist and a true Akrennian. And an Akrennian wouldn't turn down a nice opportunity if it presented itself on a golden platter.

"All right I'll do it" he said determinedly.

In his enthusiasm he almost jumped out of bed until the residual pain from his stab wound flattened him on the bed. A scream that ended in a growl escaped his mouth. For the moment, he wasn't going anywhere.

"Doc!" Ayko yelled, one of the doctors in long white uniform standing next to his bed a split second later.

"Let me see" the green-skinned Akrennian muttered under his breath.

He walked over to the row of beeping monitors and whirring equipment. Pulling away the sheet, Preed discovered that he had all kinds of wireless sensors attached to his body to keep track of his vital signs. A very faint scar had appeared on the place where he was stabbed by Khiosa's blade. After studying the sensor output and making a few notes on a holoscroll, the doctor filled a hypospray with a painkiller.

"You know, that really isn't necessary" Preed protested.

"Preed, stop being such a wimp! It won't hurt!" Ayko snarled.

"C'mon doc hit it."

"No, aaargh!"

"Okay, you're good to go" the doctor simply said, turning off the equipment with the flip of a switch.

"But I'm…"

"You're fine" Ayko decided.

"It was nothing major. You lost a lot of blood but the blade missed the vital organs, by few millimeters."

She grabbed the pile of clothes next to her and tossed them in front of him on the sheets. Preed instantly recognized the black leather military uniform of the Akrennian Militia.

"You gotta be kidding me" he brought out.

He still felt like he just did a twenty mile run under a gravity five times as much as his body was used to.

"I'm afraid not. Get up Commander, you're gonna be late for duty!" she ordered.

Slowly getting up from the bed, taking off the sensors one by one he began to dress.

"Ayko, c'mon. I really can't do this. I think I can use a shower too."

"As much as I wanna tell you that you're right, especially on the latter, you can do that on the ship. I said you were going to retrain and you might as well start now. Remember, Khiosa is your biggest problem right now, not me. If you don't get rid of him, he will get rid of you."

Dressing faster under her grumpy gaze, he realized that there was nothing but truth in her harsh words. She wasn't going to protect him this time. He had to prove that he was worthy of becoming her mate, to her, to her clan and to himself. The painkiller had kicked in from the moment of injection but even if it hadn't he didn't feel it anymore. Ayko was right. He had to stop being a wimp and start becoming a man. He was always depending on others and it was time for a change. Putting his feet in the thick leather boots he stood up and walked over to a mirror on the other side of the room. What he saw strengthened his desire to become more, climb the social ladder and become a man worthy of having such a beautiful woman as a mate and being an officer on a starship. It was said to him before, by Akima aboard the _Highlander_ when Ayko's life was in the hands of the Gods.

"You gotta make a living for yourself" she had said.

"If she dies, you have nothing."

It only occurred to him now that he still had done nothing with her advice.

"You look fine" Ayko said, who was suddenly standing next to him.

"But you're forgetting this."

She had retrieved the insignia badge from the bed and attached it to his uniform.

"Congratulations on your promotion Commander" she said, a sharp-toothed grin cutting across her face.

For a brief moment her lips were on his. Only for a moment.

"I can do this" he promised.

"I'm going to prove it to you."

"That's what I wanted to hear" she said, punching him on the chest in a friendly manor.

"C'mon, show me!" she said, turning her back towards him with a very challenging gesture.

"You were deciding which Ayko you like better? I made the decision for you!" she snarled.

"Now move! We don't have all day! I've got a ship to run."

"We, I mean you have a new ship?" he asked, amused by her sudden severity.

He had his merciless Captain Ayko back, that was for sure.

"Of course I have" she bit back, turning around the corner.

"I had a new ship since the old one was destroyed. My father just had to put me in command."

She added a laugh that had something malevolent. But he laughed with her. Like she always said, this was going to be fun, sort of.

Fun? When the shuttle of Ayko and her newly promoted First Officer reached the landing deck of the ship she was assigned to she smelled something wasn't according to her expectations. She could have known that her father wouldn't let the two weeks of illicit leave on New Earth go unpunished, but this? This area, designated as the main shuttle bay of a battlecruiser of the same class as the _Tsun'rhaa_ was partially in ruins. Sparks showered down on the windshield of the shuttle when it extended its landing gear and hit the cracked deck with a bump. From the corner of her eye she could see that the current officer in charge was awaiting her arrival and even from here she could see that the look on his face betrayed his anxiety to meet his commanding officers. The edges of Ayko's beak curved into a wry smile. She would gladly teach the guy responsible for this mess a lesson.

The loud hiss of the shuttle's hatch announced the arrival of the Captain and her First Officer and all the officers on deck, including the mechanics working on much needed repairs stood at attention and saluted their new commanding officer. They knew all too well what they were dealing with. The daughter of Admiral Rynta, a woman who was as infamous as her father and had the name to be running a very tight ship. They weren't planning to find out one the first day if her patience was really that limited. However, they weren't aware that they were already testing her patience just by being on this particular ship.

"Captain on deck!" the Lieutenant in temporary command of the ship yelled.

Even he noticed that there was a slight tremble in his voice. He could feel the cold sweat running down his back when the foot wrapped in black leather hit the deck with a sound that seemed to echo through the entire bay and pierced through the silence like a blade. But it was nothing compared to what he felt when her gaze met his. Cold, hard and without any sign of mercy. He let out a mental sigh when a soft squeal coming out of the shuttle directed her attention at something other than his.

"Shhh, its okay Jick'chii. Come."

She bend towards the shuttle and an average-sized Krach'thaa leapt into her strong arms. The black dragon-like animal howled softly and curled up against her chest. However the animal fixed its triangular yellow eyes on him as soon as her owner boldly stepped towards him. She was tall and her way of moving intimidating. Her First Officer a grey-skinned Akrennian missing an ear and having part of his skull replaced by a plate of metal followed her. He too had noticed the dire state the ship was in and _she_ was not too happy about it. It felt like ages before she said something when they were finally standing at less than a meter apart. She and her pet just stared at him as if she could extract the reason for the rickety state of the ship straight from his mind. When she opened her mouth to speak, the words were like the stabs of a dagger.

"Care to explain Lieutenant?" she said, the cold expression on her face barely changing.

"Ma'am! Recent cuts in the military budget in the favor of rebuilding property of the Empire lost by the recent war have slowed down repairs to all ships in the fleet. Our systems are running at seventy-six percent of maximum. Warp-drive is operational and capable of reaching…"

"Lieutenant if I wanted a damage report I would have asked for it" she interrupted him.

Her harsh words hit him hard enough to remain silent. If he could have apologized he would have but his lips were sealed. His eyes were now glued to the deck instead of her face.

"Let me ask you something Lieutenant" she continued, softly caressing her Krach'thaa's head with one hand.

"You just told me, that a cut in the military budget is responsible for the delay in repairs to my ship. Is that correct?"

"Yes ma'am" he replied with a trembling voice.

"Now tell me, is the military budget a criterion for the speed at which work progresses aboard this ship?"

"N…No ma'am."

"Well then, what is the real reason for this ship to be in a state of disarray?"

"I…It's not that we didn't try ma'am. I…It's just that we didn't have the right materials to complete the repairs until three days ago."

"Well, that wasn't so hard now was it?" she said in an exaggerated friendly way.

"But it seems that you have some catching up to do. What is she called anyway?"

"The _N'gara_ ma'am. The crew is ready to follow your orders."

Ayko let out a mirthless laugh.

"I certainly hope so Lieutenant. Cause it seems there's a lot that still needs to be done."

She started walking in the direction of the double sliding door providing access to the corridors, with her First Officer on her trial.

"Oh and Lieutenant?" she added, startling him when he wanted to return to his duties.

"Since you were so kind to inform me about the damage and state of the ship, you might as well file the report. I want it on my desk in one hour."

"Aye Captain" he replied saluting again.

He could finally let out the sigh of relief, he had been holding for all that time when she disappeared through the double door, the left one jammed because of a broken servomotor. He felt the urge to ask for reassignment to another ship but suppressed it. She would probably kill him for it if he dared to ask.

The longer Ayko walked through the corridors on her way to the bridge the more her annoyance grew. Nearly every crewmember she ran into was busy making repairs, saluting her as she marched past. Repairs that should have been finished before a Captain with a new assignment arrived on the ship.

"Can I say something?" Preed asked carefully aware that his Captain was running on her tiny last bit of patience.

"No!" she bit back fiercely, increasing her pace.

They were almost at the ship's command center and she was actually a bit afraid of what she would encounter when she got there.

"This thing is a wreck."

She scoffed.

"As if I failed to notice."

Jick'chii screeched when they passed a sparking conduit. It was a miracle that this ship was capable of achieving warp speed in its current state. When Preed walked past a status monitor at least the integrity of the outer hull showed intact. It all looked bad enough as it was without the crew getting sucked into space because of hull stress during faster than light speeds.

"_And this day already had such an awkward start"_ Preed though, letting go of a sigh.

Ayko's patience was wearing thin and had completely drained away when the turbolift they took reached the highest deck and the doors slit aside to reveal the ship's command center. The sight of flickering consoles and a collapsed bulkhead, all the results of a pretty fierce battle with a hostile force had turned her frustration into anger. Her jaws were started to ache from clenching her teeth and she could feel her nails piercing the palm of her left hand that was now balled into a fist. It was as if Jick'chii could feel her owner's anger because the Krach'thaa kept her head low and howled softly, preparing for the outburst that was sure to follow.

"Captain and First Officer on deck!" the officer in charge of the bridge yelled.

The look of all those officers and repair crews on the bridge standing at attention and saluting him filled Preed with a pleasant feeling. He had been standing at the bottom of the social ladder for years and now he was climbing it with two steps at a time. _Asking_ respect from your subordinates was one thing but _earning_ it felt so much better. The unpleasant silence that followed and the lethal looks of their Captain send everyone the chills up their backs. Some of the them swallowed and most of them were afraid to make eye contact, and with good reason.

"You know, taking command of a starship is not just the Captain giving orders. Orders have to be followed up by a crew to allow successful operation of the ship."

She shot a quick look at each officer individually. If looks could have killed, she would have to find another bridge crew by the time she got to the last one.

"When I'm given a ship…" she hissed.

"…by my father for God's sake, I expect the thing to be ready when I arrive."

The only sound that disrupted the silence that followed was the eruption of sparks from a broken conduit dangling from the ceiling.

"Now I've been told that there was a problem with the necessary materials needed to complete repairs. They arrived three days ago so why does this ship still looks like it was shot to bits yesterday?"

When no one replied she continued.

"Get back to whatever you were doing or I'm going to degrade you all to slaves until it's done! I wanna be able to leave in one hour without all systems giving out on me if we run into trouble!"

Snorting in anger she watched the crew hastily return to duty, working as fast as they could to avoid getting shot on sight. Ayko was carrying a standard issue blaster on her hip and in this state she wouldn't hesitate to use it. As if things weren't bad enough, a voice coming from the direction of the turbolift startled her.

"What the?-" she said, directing her venomous look at the newcomer.

"Sister that's one hell of a way of making yourself known in the whole Militia."

Sokarr shook his head, amused by her hostile reaction to his calm way of speaking. He looked a lot like her, from his strong muscular body to the same orange eyes. Ayko was both shocked and annoyed by his appearance on her ship, especially since he was in full uniform, held a lower rank than she did and didn't show her the proper respect she demanded from anyone, family or not. In fact he flashed her a cheeky smile and acted like this was his domain as much as hers. He loved to provoke her and each time she took the bait, only to his amusement.

"You!" she snapped, pointing a sharp finger at him.

"In my ready room!"

"You stay here" she grumbled, pushing Preed back with her one free arm.

She left for the door on the right side of the bridge, leading to the Captain's ready room. Preed wondered what this was all about. She never told him about her brother and he didn't expect him to be a member of the Militia as well. Now that he thought about it, he could have guessed.

"Preed?"

When he turned around to face the owner of the voice he was standing eye to eye with two people he never thought to see again. The grey-furred male was Trynan and the woman with the sand-colored skin was Iyu. Those two familiar faces among this entirely new crew filled him with joy. He didn't even notice that they hadn't called him by his new rank until Iyu hastily apologized when she spotted the insignia on his collar.

"No need to" he replied.

"Trynan I thought you said you would follow your mother's advice and stay at home, get a job. Iyu I thought you would never set foot on a starship again?"

"Well-"

"I-"

Trynan and Iyu both looked at each other.

"You first" Iyu said.

"I couldn't do it" Trynan said, throwing his arms in the air.

"I've spend two weeks working at the local spaceport, cause I wanted to keep doing something with starships but- No, there was no adventure in that. No real challenge. And man, if I had to work there for one more day I would have shoved a hyperspanner up that guy's ass. What a jerk. No, it's good to be back and when I heard that my former Captain was about to fly off into the unknown again I signed up."

"And what about you Iyu?"

"I… I never really left, really. I just needed a vacation. There's a lovely SPA on world called Tylith. I just took some money and decided to forget everything for a moment."

She heaved a sigh, thinking about that particular moment she had felt a load of ballast drop from her shoulders.

"Should have done that a long time ago."

"But we have more important things to do now" Trynan said.

"Commander, could you please tell me where we can find the Captain? We had strict orders to report to her immediately."

Preed anxiously looked over his shoulder to the door of the ready room through which Ayko and her brother just disappeared. He could hear her shouting and Trynan and Iyu noticed it too.

"I think it's better for your sake to postpone any meetings with the Captain for a moment. Did you guys know that she had a brother?"

"Yes, I believe I heard her mention that some time" Iyu replied slowly.

"You met him?"

"He's aboard the ship and I was getting the idea that he's here for a particular reason. A reason that involves me. Anyway, judging by their brief exchange of words she's not too happy to see him."

He bowed his head slightly when he heard something fragile smash against the bulkhead, followed by a loud screech of Jick'chii. His girlfriend had lost her temper and vented her emotions on anything within grasp.

"_Better for Sokarr to stay out of reach" _he thought.

"Well, if it isn't my little brother. What else are you here for except for completely ruining my already bad day."

The ready room hadn't even been set foot in by anyone else apparently. The private workspace was untouched by anyone but the former Captain of the N'gara. His personal belongings had stayed with the ship when he died and nobody had even though about removing them before his replacement arrived. Banners carrying the insignia of the Akrennian Empire decorated the walls. An antique wooden desk made of _Ijola_-wood gave an impression of what kind of man he was. She kinda liked the desk just as the small delicate sculptures of ancient warriors on its top. Some had fallen over, others were sharing the floor with her feet, broken. It remembered her about the one that was given to her by her grandfather. It was lost when the _Tsun'rhaa_ was destroyed. It had been in the clan for generations and she truly regretted the loss of that irreplaceable artifact. But right now, she wanted to grab one and show her brother from up close how beautiful they were. Sokarr knew what he was dealing with and didn't even bother to be nice.

"I'm transferred to your ship, to keep an eye out."

"That's not funny!" she snarled back.

"It wasn't meant to be. I'm dead serious."

"Tell me the real reason you're here!"

"I told you-"

"Shut up!" she tied his tongue.

"You're not gonna tell me that you're here because you're so concerned about your sister's well-being" she said exaggeratedly kind.

"Do you think I'm stupid? I'm ordering you to tell me!"

"You didn't ask who."

The fact that he remained so calm only fueled her rage.

"Go on" she snarled.

"I'm not here to keep an eye out on you my sweet little sister. I'm here to keep an eye out on that boyfriend of yours. Your freshly promoted First Officer Preed? Father is still curious about him and wants to know if he's worthy enough to be able to call himself a member of the Trsh'ka clan."

For a moment Ayko was speechless and forgot about her anger. What in the universe was her father up to? Giving her this ship. Sending her brother after her to keep an eye out on her boyfriend? She felt how her hands balled themselves to fists. She forced a wry smile to appear on her predator-like face.

"You know what? I got a better idea. Why don't you just turn your ugly face towards the door and get the hell of my ship?"

She slammed one of her balled fists on the desk with such force that the wood protested with a loud creak and one of the sculptures fell off and joined the other ones on the deck. It shattered instantly when it hit the metal plating, the pieces flying as far as Sokarr's feet.

"You know, I really wish you wouldn't have done that. Those are very expensive and unique you know. It's a shame."

He quickly had to duck to the left because the next sculpture flew through the space his head had just occupied. Jick'chii, her pet screeched loudly when the pieces rained down a little too close to her for comfort. Even Sokarr decided to do as she said for the moment and get out before someone got hurt.

"Poor animal. You deserve better Jick'chii" he said, meeting the Krach'thaa's gaze when he turned his back on his sister.

But Jick'chii hissed at him and bared her teeth causing him to raise an eyeridge.

"Did you even train your pet to hate me? By the Gods."

"Get out!" she yelled.

"All right I'm going. But remember, I'm here under orders of a higher officer. Don't worry, the transfer is only temporary and who knows, maybe you're gonna like having me around, some day."

He flashed her a last cheeky smile before he left, leaving her behind in powerless anger. He knew he had her cornered. His presence for the duration of this mission was now a fact. There was no way she could get rid of him now.

"Gonna like him one day" she muttered under her breath.

"Yeah right, like the day after never."

She let out an exasperated sigh when she thought about what to do next but she couldn't just put him out of her troubled mind. He was always such an annoying, self-centered, self-righteous know-it-all. Now that she came to think of it, most Akrennians would actually consider that a complement. But she had more important things to do than worry about the presence of her brother, like getting this miserable excuse for an Akrennian ship of war up and running like she desired. Her ear twitched when a soft howl attracted her attention. Jick'chii had crawled into a corner of the room near one of the banners. She was busy giving the bulkhead a new look with her nails which made an awful sound. Ayko's facial expression softened while she muttered a few soothing words to her pet.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Were you afraid of momma?"

A squeal confirmed that when the Krach'thaa carefully approached her and stroke across her leg with her wing. When she sunk on her knees to pet the animal's head, she could hear her make soft purring sounds.

"Mommy's brother is driving her crazy, you know."

She took a mental note that she would cut out that darned ego of his with a knife before she would let that happen.

"_This is crazy"_ she thought in annoyance.

_He's getting on my nerves even when he's not in my sight. _Banishing him from her mind, she scooped up Jick'chii and left the ready room behind in its wrecked state. First she would inspect her quarters and give Jick'chii her own space. After that she would inspect each of the stations. She had a mission to carry out.

"Why does he always have to be such a nuisance?" she said gruffly.

Preed had overheard the end of their conversation and thus the subject of the talk she had with him was again her brother.

"Have you seen where he went?" she asked, accessing one of the flickering consoles on the bridge near the Captain's chair.

"He took the turbolift. My best guess is his quarters."

Ayko cursed and slammed her fist on the panel.

"Darn it! Lieutenant, get the internal sensors online! I can't even see what's happening aboard my own ship."

"Right away ma'am" the officer she picked out replied, hastily switching tasks.

Ayko put her hands in her hips and sighed, shaking her head.

"Can't you just ask for another ship?" Preed asked, shrugging.

She shot him a dangerous look, obviously not tolerating the remark.

"My father is not the type of man you ask from; you merely except."

"But Ayko-"

"I'm sorry Commander, I didn't remember us being on a first name basis."

Preed swallowed upon hearing her harsh words. They could continue their relationship inside private quarters. Out here on the bridge, he was in her domain and had to follow her rules.

"You're my executive officer. Now behave like one."

"My mistake Captain."

"Go to your quarters and take a shower. I can smell you from here. Now's your chance. Be ready in one hour."

The tone of her voice didn't leave room for opposition so he did as she said and his decision to do so was a wise one. Turning his back on the bridge that was still undergoing repairs he stepped into the turbolift. It was time to do his job as an officer of the Militia, especially with the eyes of his possible brother-in-law in his back.

Exactly one hour later he appeared back on the bridge. The repair team had done their best to make the bridge of the _N'gara_ look acceptable but nothing more than that. Black scorches still painted the bulkheads and some of the consoles along the outer ring of the bridge still flickered. A broken conduit dangled from the ceiling but power was temporarily cut off to avoid a lightshow. Taking his place on the right side of the Captain in the First Officer's chair he checked his console to make sure all systems under his command were running stable. Since that was the case he could give her the green light.

"Thank you Commander. Attention all decks, this is the Captain. All hands brig for departure."

"Main deflector and sensors are online" Iyu reported, tapping a few buttons on her console.

"Impulse- and warp engines are ready to be fired up ma'am" Trynan added, swiveling around to face his Captain directly.

"You know Trynan, I'm glad to have you and Miss Iyu aboard. A couple of familiar faces. Don't disappoint me."

"I wouldn't even dare Captain" the grey-furred Akrennian replied, hiding his smile.

Everyone who served under her knew what he was talking about.

"Full power to main drive systems."

The sound of raw energy being pumped into the ship's engines increased and the ship began to move steadily out of space dock. Everything seemed to be fine until a tremble and a sudden drop of power killed the lights on the bridge for a second. The ship began to drift away on her gained momentum and was currently out of control.

"Lieutenant, what was that?" Ayko asked, impatiently tapping on the armrest of her chair with her fingernails.

"Engines are not responding Captain" Trynan replied, trying to localize the problem in the ship's systems.

"Looks like a power drop" Preed added, supporting Trynan.

"Primary EPS relays. Sudden increase in power blew out a couple of them on decks five and six. Looks like the integrity of the main power grid is compromised. Rerouting power to compensate."

For a moment the lights flickered then glowed brighter followed by the slight hum of the engines.

"Got helm control back" Trynan acknowledged, resuming the original trajectory out of the dry dock area.

"Set a course for system Gamma-Chelentii 67A. Warp eight" Ayko ordered.

"And get a repair team over to decks five and six!"

Preed slightly raised an eyeridge. That system was uninhabited by anyone except for a few microbes at best. It had no strategic value and not a single planet was naturally habitable by most beings. According to the star charts the only place of interest nearby was the Iridana nebula. Until now, Ayko hadn't shared the nature of the mission with him or anyone else for that matter but she decided it was time for a change.

"This is a simple patrol mission. Command has received word from the Republic that we might have a second invasion on our hands. Not by sentient Machines but an alien race that's possibly far more dangerous. Information is strictly on a need-to-know basis. All ships in the sector are on heightened alert and patrols near key systems have been increased. We have been ordered to relieve another ship near the Iridana nebula and report any suspicious activity from this possible enemy force back to Command so that they can share and compare our intel with the Republic. Trynan, engage."

Preed crossed his fingers when he heard the ship's warp coils charging, hoping that the sudden stress of a jump to warp speed wouldn't tear the hull apart and suck them all out into space. Fortunately hull integrity still read as intact by the time the ship reached optimum cruising speed and all vital systems were running fine, even in their current state. At this speed, it wouldn't take long to reach their destination. As the distance between ship and destination shrank, Preed found himself constantly pondering one question. What did Ayko expect from him? Or worse, what did Sokarr expect from him? Ayko's brother had taken his station on the bridge just like the rest of the crew and was sitting with his back towards him. His sister had fully ignored him since he entered her domain. Nothing about their behavior towards each other betrayed that they were actually close family.

"_What are you up to?" _Preed though by himself.

_Do I have to show him that I'm capable of more than just being a person living off the back of others? _He had enough time to find out and would keep a close eye on Sokarr. If he had to believe his girlfriend, her brother was bound to cause trouble.

A little over an hour later, the warship slowed to sub-light speeds near the edge of the Gamma-Chelentii system. Scanners didn't point out anything of interest except for the warship they were supposed to relieve of their patrol duty. The vessel was holding position near the fourth planet, a large gas giant surrounded by broad radioactive rings. The radiation emitted by these rings created interference on sensors and could very well hide a ship inside. A good ambush tactic sometimes used by the Militia in case of being outnumbered. The area seemed to be clear until a tiny contact appeared on Iyu's sensors.

"Captain, I've got something on sensors. One unknown contact, entering orbit of the sixth planet."

"Can you get a visual?" Ayko asked.

"I'll try. It's barely within sensor range but if we move too close, their sensors might detect us."

"Keep the power output low. Let's see what we have here" Ayko ordered, a sinister undertone in her voice.

"I don't think the other warship can detect it ma'am. It's using the planet as cover."

She tapped a few buttons on the console to get visual sensors directed at the designated target. When it appeared on the main viewscreen it was still barely visible against the background of whirling gasses that made up the gas giant's surface.

"Magnify" Ayko ordered.

Iyu zoomed in, the object still difficult to see.

"Go to maximum magnification."

With the screen in its highest zoom setting, it was finally possible to take a better look at the unknown contact, now identified as a small craft, barely large enough to be piloted by a single person of average size.

"Can you identify?" Ayko asked, a little impatience slipping in her voice.

"It's small. Less than twelve meters in length. It doesn't appear to be carrying any weapons but there are some types that don't show up on sensors until a deep scan reveals them. No matches in _our_ database about this configuration" Iyu replied.

"Try the Republican database" Sokarr suggested.

The sound of his voice nearly provoked a hostile reaction from his sister and Captain but Ayko pretended that she didn't hear him. She was hoping he would cross the line somehow and she could throw him into the brig for insubordination.

"Don't forget the Starfleet database" Preed added.

He too had a tiny premonition about this ship. He had heard about something like this before, he just knew it. But where? Ayko had her eyes fixed on the screen.

"_This could be what we're looking for"_ she thought, studying the ship's sleek outer hull.

It was an unusual and in some way beautiful sight. Some sort of reflective silvery black alloy accented by yellow and a touch of red. The fact that the design was asymmetric due to a small donut shaped extension at the back of the craft made it even more mysterious. For a moment Ayko considered giving the order to hail the craft. For all she knew this could be a new experimental fighter of the Republic. But the ship's appearance made her doubt her unmade decision. It had no visual cockpit whatsoever so it was likely this was just a drone. An unmanned craft with a purpose currently unclear to her. But just as she wanted to give the order to perform a full scan on the ship it began to fade against the yellowish background of the gas giant and disappeared. Ayko blinked a few times to make sure it wasn't her eyes playing tricks on her.

"Captain, it's gone" Iyu replied, surprised to see the empty space on the screen where the ship had been a couple of seconds ago.

Her sensors weren't very helpful either. It had just vanished.

"What do you mean gone?" she exclaimed, frustrated that she had lost her opportunity to learn more.

"It _was _really there was it?"

"Confirmed Captain" Iyu replied.

"I can still detect a faint residual ion trail but it appears they can hide from every type of sensor we have including our own eyes. It must be some sort of cloaking technology."

Ayko let out a soft growl and slammed her balled fist on the armrest of her chair. Whatever that thing was and who owned it, their technology was pretty advanced. To be able to fit a cloaking device in such a small vessel was a major technological achievement and she hadn't heard about any species currently able to do that, yet she had seen it vanish into thin air for herself.

"Resume previous heading. It looks like we missed our change here" she grumbled.

Maybe they did, but the discovery of the cloaking technology was a thing to take into account for the next encounter. And next time she would rather blow it to bits than let it escape.


	15. Chapter 12 A Family Matter

**A Family Matter**

With the sun still busy climbing to the highest point in the sky, only occupied by a few lonely dotted clouds, it promised to be a beautiful day on Sogowa. Summer was coming and temperatures frequently reached the lower thirties in the middle of the day. It wouldn't take long before it would start to get really warm. It was late in the morning and most of Ta'keth's inhabitants were either off to work or doing the daily jobs. But not Kero. He and Stith were getting the most relaxing therapy a Mantrin could wish. He was lying on a big soft massage table, his large triple jointed legs draped over the edges on either side, fully relaxed and his head half buried into a big soft pillow. His arms were lying beside his body, resting on the mattress of the table. His tail however was doing a lot of strange things when the masseur's firm hands relieved his strong muscles from all their tension. He wore special gloves so that his claws didn't leave their marks in his back. Soft groans escaped the Prince's beak, each time a stressed muscle was relieved from another hard knot. It was pleasurable and he was overcome with shivers each time it happened.

"This feels, so good" he breathed raggedly.

Stith was lying on the other table on his left and knew exactly what he meant. An extra pillow was placed under her belly to protect her unborn children from injury. They caused a lot of discomfort but she was convinced that the joy and love she would receive from them when they were born far outweighed any of that. She was lying with her face towards his and spotted the joy in his bright blue eyes.

"I've never felt anything like this" she replied, feeling the masseur performing his magical finger work on her shoulders.

"You can say all you want but I still believe my father has the best masseurs in the whole galaxy" Kero said.

"Well, thank you Prince Kero" the man who was massaging him replied.

"You're welcome, just keep going. You're doing…"

His sentence ended in a soft groan when the masseur moved down to the small of his back and all the way to the base of his tail. Stith watched him shiver and purr like a spoiled kitten when the masseur's hands reached that particular spot.

"Ohhh, I… The tail. I've got the feeling someone tied a knot in it" he said half into the pillow.

"You know, someone stepped on it once, when I was still a child" he said, as the masseur worked his way towards the tip.

It was a little awkward as Kero had a little trouble relaxing the muscular extension of his body.

"Ouch" Stith replied, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"Yeah, you could say that" Kero replied with a chuckle.

He wanted to tell how it happened but was overcome with a new wave of shivers.

"That takes care of that."

Stith smiled and closed her eyes for a moment, purring softly. The masseur was doing a tremendous job. The stress from her unborn children was having a negative effect on her mood but this would definitely help to improve. According to the doctor, rest and relaxation would also have a positive effect on her offspring. The health of the mother was for a great deal responsible for the health of her children during this critical stage of their development. In her mind she tried to imagine what they would look like, as a child and as an adult. A lot of images crossed her mind, including those of a female version of Kero and a male version of her. For some reason she also imagined what her best friend Akima would look like if she were a Mantrin. The result was a strange creature that looked like a Mantrin but with purple and black hair just like Akima.

She shook the strange ideas out of her mind and decided to relax for another while, not thinking about anything at all. She found it surprisingly hard to clear her mind, especially when there was so much to think about. Until suddenly she felt something disturbing, something she didn't like in the least. It was a little frightening how quickly a peaceful moment could be disturbed by anger. She was a little on edge lately, maybe more than usual but it made her furious. The anger came out of nowhere and threatened to overwhelm her. _Did he just touch my breasts? _She was almost certain she had felt the masseur's fingers touch part of her body where only one person in the entire universe was supposed to touch her. All in a sudden she got up, pressing herself up in a sitting position with one arm. Her eyes sparkled with fury when she turned them towards the Mantrin who had been helping her to relax just a moment ago. He stared back at her, completely unaware he had touched her in an inappropriate manor.

"Did you just touch my breasts?" Stith asked indignantly.

Kero didn't fail to notice the undertone of anger in her voice and opened his eyes, watching her sitting on the edge of the massage table, her tail thumping on the mattress. The masseur, who had such a helpless look in his eyes, was about to fall on one knee and ask for forgiveness, which he eventually did when she got up.

"Please Princess. Forgive me. I never intended to-"

"Get out!" Stith yelled, pointing at the door with one clawed finger.

"Wait" Kero interrupted, flattening an ear.

He got up to, trying to find out what happened exactly. He had the feeling this was another one of Stith's outbursts, like the ones she had a little frequent lately. He didn't want to admit it, even to himself but it was getting a little on his nerves. Having children was something nobody could get used to but lately it was as if it was everybody's fault.

"He touched me" Stith bit back, staring down at the poor Mantrin.

Kero quickly got up before it could get worse and helped the unfortunate masseur back on his feet.

"It's okay" he tried to comfort him.

"I just need to have a little word with my mate" he said throwing a look over his shoulder.

Stith had walked over to the open window, staring outside with her arms crossed, lashing her tail. He gestured the two masseurs out of the room and let out a sigh.

"_Here we go again" _he thought.

He was glad the window was open. The air had gotten a little tense, like it did a lot lately. He sat down on the edge of the massage table, letting his arms hang freely beside his body. He looked at his wife, who was still occupied by something other than him. Careful, trying to stay on her good side, he began to talk.

"Do you wanna talk about what's bothering you?" he asked in the most friendly way possible.

Stith snorted and tipped her head back with an indignant gesture.

"Oh c'mon, what did I do?" he asked a bit sadly, his feet shuffling back and forth over the tiled floor.

The angry look she shot him softened when she noticed he was a bit suffering under her behavior.

"I just didn't like the way he touched me okay?" she grunted, thumping her tail on the floor.

Kero stood up and approached her like a child approached an angry parent. He always needed to pay a little extra attention when she was acting like this. Only a couple of more days and it would all be over. Then she could finally play the role of the mother like any woman who dreamed of having children imagined. Keeping in mind all the responsibilities of parenthood of course. His gaze found hers again when they were standing at less than meter apart from each other.

"Did he really touched you in an appropriate manor or do you think he did?"

"He did" she bit back.

Her eyes dropped to the floor and lost their sparkle of anger.

"At least I think he did."

She actually felt a bit guilty about it now that it happened. Now that she gave it a thought, she didn't even know for sure. Kero shook his head, his flappy ears hanging in a sad gesture.

"C'mon Stith, take it easy. You've been lashing out on all of us lately. Even my mother told me you yelled at her yesterday."

"I know. I'm sorry okay?" she grumbled.

When she realized how that sounded it shocked even her a bit.

"I did it again, did I?" Kero nodded in affirmation, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Realizing she felt the need for comfort she threw herself against his bare chest, their upper set of knees touching each other.

"Are you mad at me?" she asked, a sad undertone slipping in her voice.

If he had even felt the slightest bit of anger towards her, her sad voice and the comforting warmth of her body against his made it disappear in an instant. Enclosing her in his large well-build arms he laid his head in her neck and locked her in a comforting cuddle. Love and care was all that she and her children needed at the moment.

"Of course not" he whispered.

"I can never be mad you. How could I?"

Freeing herself from his arms she showed him her slightly swollen belly. Even at its biggest, her belly would still be considerably smaller than a human's, explained by the fact that Mantrin first produced an egg. When the egg hatched after a week of being kept warm, the newborn child called a Mantry was very small in the beginning. However, Mantrins grew very fast and could more or less walk small distances on their own in less than four weeks. In addition to being able to walk much earlier than a human baby, a Mantry wasn't as helpless and was born with tiny claws and a full set of teeth straight out of the egg. It were a few of the aspects of being a warrior race.

"I'm sorry for what I did" she said sincerely.

She took his hand and placed it on top of her belly. Kero let out a soft laugh.

"It feels warm" he said sheepishly.

"It makes me feel so weird" she said grabbing her forehead.

"I feel so restless. It takes very little to get me angry and sometimes it gives me pain. Do you know how all of that feels?"

"Well, how am I supposed to know?" he said shrugging.

"But one of the reasons of you feeling so awful is because you're too stubborn to follow the doctor's advice and take your medicine."

"I just don't wanna pour my body full of drugs. I just want what's best for the children."

"And therefore you're ignoring what's best for the mother" Kero added.

The smile he added only provoked a sigh from his mate.

"I know he says it's completely harmless but I don't wanna take any risks."

Kero was glad she thought about it that way. He had to admit to himself that he actually didn't want her to take too much drugs either despite the doctor's promise it wouldn't cause any harm on their unborn children.

"The doctor says that your body is undergoing all kinds of radical changes in these few weeks. But everything should return to normal in a few days as soon as you laid the eggs."

"I hope so, cause if it does not I will-"

She had almost raised her voice again but realized it just in time.

"Ohhh!"

She buried her face in his chest with a growl and let out a laugh. A laugh soon copied by her mate.

"You know, this stuff is creating an awful lot of friction between us" he said, firmly rubbing her back.

"Yeah but I can never stay mad at you for long" she said into his chest.

"From the moment we met, I developed a soft spot for you."

Even before she knew who he actually was. Before she was aware of him being the son of the Emperor and a Prince of the Empire she realized she had a weakness for his endearing personality. She had been mad at him before, but a look in those innocent bright blue eyes of him was enough to make it disappear without a trace. It had all been enough for her to realize she had fallen helplessly in love with him.

"I forgive you Stith. You're the best thing that ever happened to me and no one and nothing can convince me otherwise" he said lovely, his ears playfully twitching.

"_He's doing it again" _she thought happily, tightening her grip around his waist.

She could hear his heartbeat rising, the two mighty drums inside his chest picking up speed fueled by her mild overtures, which he cheerfully returned.

"Don't forget Stith, we all want to help you, if you just let us. There's nothing wrong with accepting a little help. You don't have to do this all by yourself. We'll always be there for you when you need us."

"Thanks Kero."

She looked up from his chest and rubbed her muzzle against his in a lovely way, feeling the warmth of his breath on her face.

"I love you" he said with the tip of his beak against hers.

Resting her head on his shoulder, she licked his cheek.

"I love you too" she whispered, feeling his hand caressing the edges of her ears.

They were very sensitive to touch and it was pleasurable when done by loved ones, who were practically the only ones allowed to.

"Don't you think you owe him an apology?" Kero asked as tactful as he could.

In a split second Stith was back to her old crankiness. _Why did he have to bring that up again? _She responded with fury and broke away from him in an instant. Crossing her arms she stared back at him, trying to look indignant.

"Why? He touched me in an inappropriate way. He should be the one to apologize to _me_."

"I believe he just did" Kero replied, not picking her side in the matter.

She could hear the disappointment in his voice. This time he actually seemed a bit agitated about it.

"I know you're going through a difficult period but I think you're being unreasonable."

She let out a deep sigh and began walking toward the door.

"All right. I'll go find him."

He grabbed her arm and smiled when she looked at him.

"Hey, I'm not mad at you. I just can't. Now are we going to the city in the afternoon? You know, buy Mantry stuff and things like that? The time has almost come."

She flattened an ear.

"Don't you think it's a little early for that yet?"

"No of course not" he laughed.

"You can never be too early with these things. C'mon, it'll be fun."

Laughing about the joy he felt from their unborn children, she left the room with him. It would actually be the first time they had to go to the city. Most things needed by the Imperial family were provided by the services of the palace. But this time Kero wanted to take all the time to take a good look and choose the things they needed by themselves. Of course they could just send out a servant to get everything but that felt a little negligent towards the children. As parents they had to take care of their children's needs eventually so why not start now? And with that thought in mind they prepared themselves for their trip.

"Prince Kero, are you sure you don't want an escort? Something could happen when you're out there in the city."

Kero wished he could make the worries disappear from Jola's face. The Palace Guard was nervously tapping on the tiled floor of the plateau below the stairs of the palace's main entrance with his energy lance although he knew what the answer would be. Jola had always been very loyal to the Imperial family from the moment he arrived here and had only been in service for a few months now. Kero knew that there was no doubt that the crossbreed Mantrin was prepared to risk his life to ensure their safety at all times. And each time he or his brother wanted to go to the city most of the time he was the one advising them to take at least one escort with him. However, nothing ever happened on their trips, with or without escort. His father was a good ruler to his people and no one had ever attacked or insulted a member of the Imperial family in any way on the street. In fact they did exactly the opposite which Kero didn't seem to enjoy either. Sometimes he wished he could just be a regular type of guy for one day. No one bowing in front of him or calling him 'Your Eminence' or things like that.

"_Now Stith will feel it too for one day" _he figured, amused by the thought alone.

But despite the fact that nothing ever happened, Jola still insisted.

"Jola, I understand your concern but it's really not necessary."

Stith smirked, tapping the holsters on her hips.

"It never is. Not when I'm carrying these."

Jola shook his head and displayed a warm smile.

"Might as well safe myself the effort of asking. You're gonna do it anyway."

"Very perceptive of you" Stith remarked.

Kero shot her a warning look.

"You can't blame him for being concerned with our safety Stith. It's his job."

Jola laughed.

"Okay, I believe you. But it's mainly because of your father. If something happens to you two and he finds out you've gone to the city without an escort, I might as well jump from the highest tower of the palace."

"Have I ever told you the story when I was down on a planet facing an army of hundreds of intelligent Machines that all wanted to tear me to tiny little shreds?"

"All right, all right you've convinced me" Jola laughed, waving away his words with a clawed hand.

The guard placed his right foot on the first step of the stairs and threw one last look over his shoulder.

"Be careful though. You'll never know."

Staring after him until he was enclosed by the palace walls Kero started walking in the direction of the gates surrounding the palace gardens with Stith on his side. It was some time ago he had gone to the city by himself to get something but he still remembered a few good places they could visit. They had a whole day ahead of them so plenty of time to take a good look and find whatever their children needed. The smell of fresh air mixed with the sweet blend of the garden stimulated his mood in a positive way.

"He seems very concerned about our well-being" Stith remarked a little surprised.

"He's always been very loyal to my father. The only reason I got to know him better was the incident I had with my brother. After that we became friends, sort of."

"Yeah, I remember that" Stith replied, thinking back about that particular and very unpleasant moment.

Kero had warned her about his brother Rajah's bad temper but she had never expected him to be that violent. Not really wanting to talk about it right now her thoughts began to wander off to the list of things they had made with the stuff they needed. They had made it some time ago but she had never expected to use it so early on. She seized her attempts to remember everything when Kero pulled a holoscroll from the small bag he was carrying over his shoulder and brought up that same list.

"Now I'm beginning to wonder what else you've brought with you in that bag" Stith said with a frown.

The bag, made of a strong beige fabric wasn't very large so at least he hadn't been preparing himself for a three week survival trip but he told her before that they would just order everything they liked and had it delivered to the palace so they didn't have to carry everything home. "Not much really" Kero replied with a shrug.

"Just our list, identification and a credit chip with enough money. Let's see, drinking bottles, blankets, toys, diapers, lots of them especially."

"I hope you're not planning on letting me do all the diaper changing" Stith interrupted, crossing her arms.

He halted and scratched the back of his head.

"Well I guess we could take turns."

"That's what I thought" Stith muttered under her breath, taking the lead.

Quickly catching up to her he continued to go through everything.

"I wonder if my parents kept my old cradle somewhere. I keep forgetting to ask my mother."

A very pleasant and funny thought came up in Stith's mind. She couldn't resist asking her next question.

"Hey Kero, do you still have pictures of you being a Mantry somewhere?"

The smirk she added had a lot of sparkling white in it. It was hard not to notice she was waiting for his answer with restrained laughter.

"Yeah sure, I-" he began, noticing her toothy smile when he looked at her.

"You wanna see them, do you?" he asked, finding it hard not to laugh himself.

When he thought about those pictures he didn't want other people to see he already began to chuckle. He as a Mantry wearing diapers and sucking a rubber teat. It was both cute and embarrassing for him but he didn't really mind Stith seeing them. He could begin to deny it, but everyone was once a baby.

"Help me to remember to ask my mom everything you're asking me now" he said, batting his one ear.

"This is annoying" he muttered, carefully poking with one finger inside.

"What is it?" Stith asked, flattening an ear.

They were only a few more meters from the gate.

"My ear plops. I had it yesterday evening and I thought I got rid of it. It was gone until a few moments ago. Maybe it's dirty."

"Shall we go back and let the doctor take a look?" she asked.

"No, no, its fine. I'm not going to let it ruin our day together" Kero replied determinately.

To add strength to his words he took a few steps into the direction of the gate which was opened by the two Mantrins guarding it.

"Shall we?"

Stith nodded firmly and followed him, out into the busy streets of Ta'keth, blending themselves with the people of the magnificent city on their way to the first destination on the list.

Stith clearly remembered the first time she had been in the city, participating in one of Kero's weird ideas when he didn't want his father to find out early that he was still alive. Only now she truly had the time to admire the city's beauty with its fine architecture made out of light-colored stone, its delicate and magnificent works of art and its towering fountains, busy squares and the large lake in the middle with its fine network of water channels that spread through the entire city like the veins of a living being. Surrounded by the sloping hills of a large valley, the jungles and forests partially extending into the city, providing the habitants with nice and quiet places and the city itself with some green between all those artificial structures. All Mantrins lived in harmony with nature and never forgot their descent despite their technology and Ta'keth was definitely a well-defined example of that philosophy.

"I've never really taken the time to look" Stith said, when they crossed one of the bridges over the city's channels.

"I bet there are a lot of people who have an entirely different view about the way we live. Until they see all of this beauty for the first time."

Kero nodded.

"I remember Captain Korso and his crew being so surprised to see so much beauty in a city been built by a warrior race. I think there are members of our race who are giving other people the wrong image of what we are. Sure we're warriors but we don't kill for fun. In fact, most of us despise unnecessary bloodshed."

Stith gave that a thought. She knew from herself she loved to pull the trigger now and then. She also knew that she wasn't always the nice girl to everyone but she had never killed anyone for her own pleasure. She had threatened a lot, and one or two times she might have actually thought about blowing someone's brains out but never carried it out. But she could very well understand, that with a galaxy that cruel up there, that there were people who would do anything to survive. People who were so embittered by everything they had been through that they didn't care anymore and used their fists rather than their beaks. The fact that most Mantrins had such a short temper didn't help much either. It was simply the way they were. And then there was that conservative movement on Solbrecht, _Wyr'Mo'Gwi_. The terrible things they did to people. She didn't hear what Kero had so say anymore as her thoughts began to drift off to the most horrible period of her life: her youth. The memories she wished she could just erase began to surface. She didn't want to think of it anymore. It would ruin her day. Burying them deep under the sand of time again where they had been lying dormant she forced them to remain there, at least for the rest of their trip.

"Well, it sure is warm today" Kero said, wiping off the droplets of sweat welling up on his forehead.

He didn't realize his mate just snapped back to the present and had no idea what he just said, only that he was talking about the weather. Just as she did, he wore casual clothing that had both the advantage of not being too warm to wear with this weather and it would help them blend in, not dragging all the attention. Just a short-sleeved shirt and pants, nothing out of the ordinary.

"Okay, first stop on the list" he said, turning right at the next junction.

"I was planning to look for a cradle first but I better ask my mom if she still has mine somewhere. But there's a specialized shop that deals in all kinds of Mantry stuff. Better take a look there first."

"You know the way" Stith replied, only listening with half an ear, walking down the street with him, not knowing where to look.

Sometimes she had the feeling people looked at them. She found their staring rather annoying but tried not to look back. They were probably trying to determine if they were really the ones they thought they were. But she was more fascinated by everything the city had to offer. Shops, restaurants, marketplaces and places where one could hang out with friends. She made a mental note that today she wanted at least to share a glass with her mate on one of those cozy terraces, what most people seemed to do today as they were all full. Mantrins in all sorts, shapes and sizes, families with children, adolescents, elderly people, they were all outside to enjoy the warm weather. The thought of the new Son of the Empire, up there in space dock remembered her about the fact that they had to return to duty soon. This was one of the few moments she would get to do something fun with her mate. He seemed to enjoy doing things with her. He had a permanent smile on his face, his ears that were large for a Goureg happily dancing in the mild breeze that brought only little cooling against the warmth of the sun.

"Only a few more days before we're back to our old duties again eh?" she said abruptly, making him look up from his holoscroll.

"Yep, the ship is almost ready to go. In fact, Rilas sent an invitation to all members of the old crew. I hope to see them all back aboard."

"Yeah, I sure hope so too."

Kero chuckled.

"Rilas has been busy with that ship ever since he heard from it. But in the mean time he's walking on air. I think he's in love."

"Oooh, who's the lucky girl?" Stith asked with a laugh.

"Is it someone from the crew?"

Her mate took a deep breath and smiled.

"Well, he didn't want to tell exactly but it is someone from the crew. Personally, I think it's Naea. I knew he had a crush on her."

"Naea?"

She could very well remember Naea and her sister Kiké. The two Fjetahna sisters were inseparable. The memory of pulling the youngest of the two through that horrible rescue mission aboard an assaulted drifter colony welled up in her mind. A cold finger went down her spine as the horrible images of mutilated bodies, intestines and blood flashed by and she shook her head to get rid of them.

"Sounds like a good combination, if not perfect."

She also remembered Rilas feeling so lonely when they were at the EAF base. She actually felt sorry for him at that time. But for a Mantrin which such good looks, she never expected him to remain single for long.

"I'm happy for him" she said honestly.

"Yeah, he deserves it. Oh there it is" he said, nodding into the direction of what was obviously a store where they sold stuff for Mantries.

Bright-colored mobiles, toys and cradles were put up for display in the shop window of the small single-story building on the corner of the paved street.

"I believe my parents bought my Mantry stuff here too."

"It all looks really cute" Stith said, puzzled by the amount of pink and the sweet imprints on most items put up for sale.

Entering the store -that turned out to be larger than visible from the outside- through the wide door -that jingled a tiny bell to warn the shop owner- they found themselves standing in the cutest place in the entire city. No one would expect the children of a warrior race being raised in such a sweet environment. Cabinets with piles of little blankets with dozens of different motifs. Shelves with colorful toys designed to help develop the young child's abilities, from soft plushy animals and balls to bite rings to give them something to chew on and things with tiny little bells inside that would make a jingle sound when kicked, tossed around or moved in any other way. Everything in the store would make a hatchling cackle with joy and everything around the mated pair carried a warm pair of hearts towards all children in the universe, including the old Sogowan Mantrinesse that introduced herself as the shop's owner. Her warm voice would give every child a feeling of safety and help create a sense of trust. It did exactly the same with the parents when she slowly approached them. Her age had definitely taken its toll on her body but she would rather die than give up her shop. It was the thing that kept her going.

"Good day. My name is Meya. How can I help you?"

Folding her clawed hands together the old woman awaited their reply, which didn't come in an instant. Kero was not sure how to start. He could just hand over the list of things but he figured that she had trouble with her sight. Studying her for a brief moment, he figured it wouldn't be of much help. Her eyes, which should have been similar in color to his wife's, were milky white. She was blind but her disability couldn't keep her off the work she had performed with love for many years.

"Good day ma'am" Kero said hesitantly, after which he and Stith finally revealed their identity to her.

It hurt both his hearts that in a reply she made a slight bow for him, her legs shaking, because her knees had trouble carrying her weight under a certain angle. Her droopy ears created a sad effect but the smile she displayed betrayed her happiness.

"Prince Kero, Princess Stith, it is an honor to receive both of you in my store. May I first congratulate you. May Kirliya give your children strength, health and happiness in their long lives to come."

"Thank you ma'am" Stith replied, adjusting the volume of her voice to a lower level.

It was such a peaceful store that she was actually a bit afraid that loud voices would disturb the quietness. Meya let out a soft laugh.

"It feels like the day of yesterday when I had the honor to receive your parents here for the first time Prince Kero. It was a day I would never forget. At least I could still see them with my own eyes."

She chuckled.

"Your mother was angry at your father. The reason is still quite clear to me. He had told her that he would get everything for you but it turned out he forgot the most important thing."

"The cradle" Kero said, the smile on his face getting wider.

"You remember" she replied, nodding.

"My mother told me once. She knows how goofy my father can be, that's the reason why she married him."

"You were already born back then. I had the privilege to see you with my own eyes. You were adorable."

For a moment Kero was glad she couldn't see him as he felt his face getting warm, his cheeks turning red. Stith would really love to see those pictures.

"But those things are way into the past" she said, coming down to business.

"You are here now."

As if she send him a mental sign, a young Sogowan boy appeared out of the back of the shop were a small wooden counter was placed where customers could pay for their purchases. He came standing next to the older woman and recognized them immediately. He fell on one knee and bowed respectfully, a little afraid to look up.

"Feel free to take a look around. Take the time, we're open all day. If there's anything you need in particular, don't hesitate to ask my grandson. He's probably of more help than I am."

She proudly laid a hand on the boy's shoulder, who was still sitting on one knee on the hard wooden floor, waiting for a sign to get up. Being ahead of her mate this time, Stith placed a hand on the boy's other shoulder.

"Please, I know it's tradition but you don't have to bow for us."

"Thank you Princess" he spoke with trembling voice.

"He is such a good boy" Meya said, nodding approvingly.

"Your mother must be proud of you, spending your free time to help out your grandmother" Kero said, unaware that he would hit a nerve.

The boy stood up, his hands balling to fists, tears welling up in his eyes. Without a word he turned around and hasted himself to the back of the shop where he disappeared from sight. Kero was shocked by what his last remark had caused. He hadn't said anything wrong, or did he? Meya sighed.

"I…I'm sorry I didn't mean to-"

"You have to forgive my grandson. He lost both his parents to an attack from the Drej on one of our most outlying colonies. I am the only family he still has."

There wasn't the slightest bit of anger in her voice. She couldn't do much more than feel sorry for her grandson, who had lost the two people who gave birth to him.

"It's all right."

"Honestly, I'm so sorry. I didn't want to cause any harm."

Meya smiled.

"It's all right" she repeated.

"Besides, who am I to argue with a Prince?"

Walking to the back of the store, she went to try and get her grandson back. He was obviously indispensible in running the store. Left behind between all the toys and the blankets Kero suddenly felt miserable. Placing a hand on his forehead he groaned softly.

"I feel so awful. I never intended to hurt his feelings."

Feeling Stith remove the hand he looked her in the eyes.

"You couldn't know. But I do feel awful for _him_."

She sighed.

"I lost my family too. He still has his grandmother, someone who loves him and takes care of him. I had no one."

Feeling Kero grabbing her she was pressed against his large well-developed chest.

"You're making me feel all sad. C'mon this was supposed to be our nice day together."

Freeing herself from his strong arms, she looked at him and smiled.

"I know. Come, let's have a look."

Walking over to one of the towering cabinets she began searching to the piles of little Mantry blankets until she found those she liked most. Choosing was hard and narrowing down her search was even harder. They were all so nice. Ever since they entered the store, they both noticed the sweet smell hanging in the air. It all added to the sense of cuteness.

"You know, she reminds my strongly of _my _grandmother" Kero said, keeping apart the blankets Stith had chosen.

It caused his mate to stop with what she was doing. Myrzah's death was still so freshly embedded in her memory that thinking about it slowly killed her good mood. Even she had shed a few tears when the old Mantrinesse had made 'the crossing' and it all happened not so long ago.

"Yeah I know what you mean" she replied, not really wanting to continue the conversation about this particular subject.

Fortunately he didn't.

"This looks nice" he said happily, when he looked at the things she picked.

They needed things for both a boy and a girl and the cabinets were divided in two sections to make it easier.

"They're all so nice" Stith lamented but with a smile.

"I'm beginning to wish we could take them all home. What do you think of this one?"

She held one up with an imprint of a cute furry animal on it.

"Lovely" Kero replied, feeling the pile on his one hand getting heavier and heavier.

"That's the last one" Stith said putting only one more on top of the wobbling pile.

Walking over to the counter, so that Meya could keep them apart for delivery to the palace Stith began to explore the corner with all the toys. This choice was an even more difficult one. How could they know what their children would like? But giving it a second thought, it wasn't so hard after all. As long as it was soft and colorful it would attract every child's attention. And if that wasn't enough they always had their father's tail to play with. And that could be just as fun, maybe even more. They were so busy with everything that they hadn't noticed Meya coming back.

"Forgive me for being so blunt and if you don't mind my asking, have you already come up with a name for your children? I don't wanna be curious and if you wanna keep it a secret, I understand but there's even a possibility to imprint a name on things like blankets and cradles. We even do it for free."

Stith and Kero looked at each other.

"I…I mean we eh-" Kero started.

"We've talked a lot…"

"And argued a lot" Stith interrupted, smirking.

"…and argued a lot about that particular problem" Kero admitted.

"But there's nothing definite yet. It's so hard. I have to come up with a name when the little ones aren't even born. What if they don't like their names?"

"Kero don't be ridiculous. We've talked about that over and over again" Stith grumbled.

Before they could start another argument, Meya prevented it with a chuckle.

"You have the same problem most parents have. My I give you some advice?"

Stith and Kero nodded, until they realized she couldn't see them.

"Sure."

"Don't just choose one you think you like, but feel with both your hearts. It works for most people, trust me. It worked for me too."

Thinking it over for a moment, Kero suddenly realized that his cradle had his name engraved into the headboard. Unless they decided to call their son Kero junior, which would probably flatten some ears, it was unusable.

"Thank you ma'am. We'll give it a try."

Meya laughed and smiled faintly.

"I've been running this shop since long before you were even born, young one. I've given parents that didn't have a name for their children the same advice for all those years. Trust me" she repeated.

Turning around she patted her grandson on his shoulder as they passed each other. The boy approached them, the wet trails of tears still on his brown face. Still hesitant to look at them directly, he spoke to his feet when he asked if they needed any help, his eyes studying the grains in the wooden floor. He shivered when he felt the Prince's hand on his shoulder.

"What is your name?" Kero asked in a soothing way.

"Aolu" he answered, rubbing his eyes with his fist.

"Aolu, may I first offer you my sincere apologies. Forgive me for what I said."

"It's okay" the boy replied with a sniff.

"I…I overreacted. Sorry."

"No" Stith said, shaking her head, standing closer to the boy. He looked up to her, not sure what she meant.

"You obviously have a lot of anger and grief locked up inside you."

She slowly watched the boy's mouth fall open. At first it looked like he wanted to say something but then closed his beak with a snap, once he realized he was gazing at her in an impolite way.

"You have to let it out sometime. Trust me, I know what it means to lose someone. I lost both my parents when I was even younger than you are now. You still have a loving grandmother. I had no one. No family who loved me, no mother who cradled me in her arms when I was sad or comforted me when I was hurt."

She sighed, pinking away a tear from the corner of her eye. The boy was still staring at her. He never would have thought that the Princess had such a difficult life behind her.

"You're a strong boy and I'm proud of you for what you're doing for your grandmother."

"Uh-huh" he nodded, feeling a little proud himself.

"Can I help you in some way?"

The smile that had reappeared on Kero's face widened, as he handed the list over to the boy. Studying it for a moment, twitching his ear as he thought he formed a conclusion in his mind.

"I can get you most of these things. But I'm sorry to inform you that my grandmother doesn't sell any Mantry buggies. Diapers is also something you have to get at the chemist's."

"I know but thanks" Kero replied with a wink.

It took them more than an hour to get everything together -Stith had a lot of difficulty picking out clothes for the children to wear- and kept apart. There was no way they could carry everything back home with just two pairs of arms but Meya ensured she would wait until the servants arrived to relieve her of the supplies. After having paid for everything -and a little extra for the boy and his grandmother- they left the store with mixed feelings. Both had felt something warm in their hearts when they first entered the place and both left with the feeling they had lost something in there. Kero thought about his grandmother a lot and Stith was touched by Aolu's life story. It was similar to hers in some way but it brought up those memories again, the ones she had promised herself to suppress for the rest of the day. Trying to put some anger behind her efforts she shook her head and took a deep breath. _Do as your mother would have said. Look at the future and live today. _

"Wow, I'm glad we got much of what we needed. Do you want to go and drink something together?"

"Yeah sure" she replied, happy that he gave her something to look forward to.

After all, she had that idea earlier she was indeed kind of thirsty she was on the lookout for an empty pair of spaces on one of the crowded terraces along the street. No luck so far so they kept walking.

"I'm still not sure about the names" Kero thought out loud.

"I've got a couple of new ones but I'm not sure if you'll like them."

Thinking about the many different designs available for having the name of the child engraved into the cradle's headboard she remembered that one time when Akima had given it a try to learn her language but without much success. The written language in the form of simple symbols had already given her a hard time but the time they had been sitting across each other in the mess and she had tried the learn the human to speak the language it had given both of them a stomachache, from laughter. There were just some sounds only a Mantrin was capable of producing and they both had a lot of fun. When they reversed roles however and Akima helped Stith to improve on her English she was pleasantly surprised at the fact that it was so simple to learn and speak. It was probably the easiest language around but that same lack of complexity had its drawbacks. Certain beautiful expressions in her language didn't translate well and most of the time lost their deeper meaning when translated into English.

"Enlighten me" she said throwing a suspicious look over her shoulder.

She was certain she had seen that guy before today and yet he was behind them again. But each time she looked he seemed to try and hide in the crowd. Trying to prove her suspicions she began to gently pick up pace, trying to shake him first.

"I don't know if you like this one. It's for a boy."

Kero's voice trailed off when he realized that something obviously far more important had caught his mate's attention.

"What's wrong?" he asked, keeping up with the arm she pulled.

"Don't look, that guy behind us is following us since before we entered that store."

Ignoring her warning he turned his head with a tug trying so see who she meant.

"Who the guy in blue? The small Orketh?"

"I said don't look" Stith hissed.

"The Sogowan in red. He's quite large, almost as big as you. Don't look!" she said, as her mate slowly turned his head, which he did despite her snarl.

"But Stith, he's wearing a uniform of the Imperial Guard. This is obviously about duty."

"I don't trust it" she spoke between clenched teeth, as she tried to find her way through the crowd.

It was clear that she was seeking more behind it than he did.

"If this is about duty he would have just asked already. You've got your comlink with you right?"

"Yeah but how do you know for sure he's following us?"

She shot him a quick glance over his shoulder.

"Well, there's only one way to find out. Turn around the corner, quick."

Doing as she said, wondering if the heat had gone to her head he followed her off the main road.

"Into the alley" she said, pulling him with her into a dark corner between two buildings.

"Stith c'mon" Kero complained as he pressed himself against the wall behind a dumpster, trying to make himself as small as possible which was difficult for someone his size.

"Shhh!" she said, putting a finger on her lips.

Carefully peeking around the corner it didn't take long before she saw the Mantrin in question walk past, slowly, looking for something. Holding her breath, she stepped out of their cover and walked back to the street, Kero following her. She just knew he was looking for them and he was in for quite a surprise. Wondering if she should pull one of the blasters on her hips, just in case he brought his own pea shooter with him she squared her shoulders and stepped out onto the street, which was almost empty in contrast to the main road. The Mantrin walked on, his back towards them, unaware that his targets were right behind him. Until Stith's voice startled him and caused him to stand right where he was.

"Why are you following us?" Stith demanded to know.

The look on his face instantly made her realize that he couldn't be out to cause them any harm. She estimated the male's age still in his forties and the insignia on the collar of his red Imperial Guard uniform indicated that he held the rank of Commander aboard a starship. But it was the look on his face that made her realize she made a mistake, one she was not planning to admit however. He made a respectful bow, apologizing as he knelt in front of them on the street.

"Please forgive me" he said, his voice having a friendly accent.

A soft low hum that proved his sincerity.

"I never had the intent to make you believe I was stalking you Sti—Princess. Prince Kero" he said with a nod.

Stith narrowed her eyes to slits and flicked an ear. She had clearly heard him using her name in public but that wasn't what made her angry. He almost acted like he knew her, yet she was sure she had never seen him before.

"My name is Ganyu" he continued, getting up.

"Look pal, for my sake, your name is dope" she interrupted.

"Why are you following us?"

A strange thought came up with her. Although she was certain she had never seen him before, he still had something familiar. Was it the sound of his voice?

"You don't know how long it took me to finally scrape the courage together to speak to you directly. I have to tell you something and it may sound strange."

"Who is this Stith?" Kero asked, studying the Mantrin officer.

"Do you know him?"

"I'm not sure" Stith replied, racking her brains to find a answer to the chaotic mess of questions Ganyu raised in her mind.

"Oh, you do know me. Although you probably don't recognize me" Ganyu replied.

He took a deep breath, as to prepare himself for what was about to come.

"Stith, I am your father."


	16. Chapter 13 Something on the Horizon

**Something on the Horizon**

Finding an empty table in the _Lighthouse _wasn't easy at times like these, when everyone could feel the tension pressing on their shoulders and wanted to get some air and a drink. Korso figured that it might have been a better idea for the _Valkyrie_'screw to find another place to chat. Their voices were barely audible above the clamoring of all the guests of the overfull establishment.

"Maybe Harry should consider expanding the place some more and a hiring a few extra people" Cale tried to get above the noise of more than a hundred humans and aliens all trying to do the same.

It was a wonder one could make sense out of the other's words. To Cale it was all one big chaotic mess of different languages. The only word he constantly heard was 'Seraphim' in a dozen different accents over and over again. It was clear what had them so upset. Just the presence of these beings in their galaxy, although rarely seen, except for their war machines was enough.

"Why are the Seraphim here? What do they want?" Akima asked Jason.

She had to bow closer to ask and so did the rest when he answered.

"They have gone rogue" the Starfleet Captain replied, taking a sip from his drink.

Shuffling the glass over the table between his hands he began to tell.

"We don't know exactly what they want, but our closest guess is revenge. Revenge for what the humans did to their colony on Seraphim II."

"How horrible. Did they really kill all those people?" Akima brought out in disbelief.

In some way she could understand their anger towards those who were capable of such a merciless and horrendous act. Any race would respond with the same fury and declare war on those who were responsible. But why take it out on innocents?

"Because they have lost all sense of reason" Jason answered her question.

"The Seraphim are in fact a peaceful race, incapable of taking another one's life. But these warriors… They've lost their connection to their shared emphatic philosophy known as _The Way_. As we understand it, that connection is permanently severed the instant they are transformed into warriors thus severing their connection to each other. Their entire society is based on feeling each other empathically so they are no longer able to socialize and therefore become outcasts. They are no longer able to control themselves and their desire to fight and kill frequently overwhelms them. In other words they become senseless killers, destroying everything in their path."

Explaining it to them a second time had an even greater effect than the first. Akima was nervously rolling her hair around her finger and didn't say anything. Most of the crew just stared at their blurred reflection in the table, all kinds of troubling thoughts whirling through their minds. Until Korso broke the lonely silence at _their _table by slamming his hand flat on its surface.

"Well, we're not going to let that happen, right guys?"

His enthusiasm was met by a vague nod from only two members of the crew.

"How?" Lieutenant Reese dared to ask.

"From what I understand, their technology is way more advanced than anything we possess. What are we up against Captain?"

Jason breathed out a sigh, not willing to discourage everyone and mislead them into thinking they didn't stand a single chance. But they had the right to know.

"Their way of waging war isn't like anything we've ever witnessed. One person, solely in command of an entire mindless army of drones. Every unit, except for the Commander and its support may be sacrificed at any time for the good of the mission. Theoretically, it is even possible for one Commander to control an entire world as long as he has the resources available to sustain its military might."

He paused, moistening his mouth with the contents of his glass.

"Their way of travel is another interesting thing. They use a form of quantum travel to instantaneously move their equipment over large distances."

"That's some kind of faster-than-warp travel if I'm not mistaken" Korso added.

"Before the Drej destroyed Earth, we've experimented with ways to break the warp ten barrier."

"Starfleet did as well. In fact quantum travel has been one of the ways for some time, until Starfleet decided to focus their efforts on transwarp drive in favor of quantum slipstream because of the higher success rate. You see, it takes a lot to safely move a vessel through the slipstream. The quantum field created by the ship's deflector dish needs to be constantly modified in order to sustain the subspace tunnel through which the ship travels. In case of transwarp you don't have that problem."

"So we've got an advantage?" Cale asked hopefully.

"Not exactly. You see, the Seraphim use a form of quantum travel far more sophisticated than anything we ever experimented with. Their form is a way of instant point-to-point travel, covering distances of dozens of light years in a few seconds. We don't even have a clue about the maximum range."

"We're screwed" Cale said, trying to swallow his disappointment by emptying his glass.

The burp he added got him an elbow from Akima although he didn't know for sure if he received that for his rudeness or his pessimism.

"Far from it" Jason replied, an optimistic twinkle in his brown eyes.

"This is where the Coalition comes in. Their way of fighting wars is almost exactly the same and they've proved that they can take them. We all need their help."

He didn't have to say that a second time. The Republic had grown large. More and more species had been willing to sign the charter after having witnessed for themselves what the cooperation did for the worlds that joined. But even the might of the Republic, an alliance that big, couldn't stand a decent chance against a power that strong. If the Coalition refused to help, the chance of survival after contact was slim, questionable at most. Fortunately they had let the Federation know that they were willing to help and undertake action as soon as the time had come. For all they knew, they were already packing their gear and prepared themselves for the fierce battle likely to be fought out on multiple fronts. The Seraphim rarely focused their efforts on a single target at a time. They struck with fury and overwhelming numbers to crush their enemies before they could even think about lifting their weapons to return fire. Offence is the best defense. It may only be a tactic, but it was a damn good one in the hands of those who knew how to exploit their enemy's weaknesses and take the fight to them instead of the other way around.

"Have you ever met one of them?" Korso asked.

"A Seraphim?" Jason asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Lucky for me, I did not. Cause if you ever meet a Seraphim, it's likely to be on the battlefield and that is not the best place to make friends."

"No, no, I mean someone from the Coalition. One of their Commanders."

"No I didn't, but someone I know did."

Emptying his glass, Jason put it down on the table with a bang. Running a hand through his hair, he tried to find a way how to transform his thoughts into words. Speaking knowledgably about it, as if he were there himself his voice suddenly had a different tone. War was a terrible thing to talk about and the ones who had fought in it would never be the same.

"The stories some of those veteran Commanders had to tell. You have to understand that some of these Commanders are normal people like you and me. Man and women with families to take care of, with children back home who knew their mother or father risked his or her life each time they went away. He told me that their stories had one thing in common. The Seraphim are as mysterious as they are dangerous. Even if you knew the battlefield, had more than enough experience in fighting long and tiresome battles and made hundreds of hours inside an ACU's cockpit you never knew exactly what you were up against when facing a Seraphim Commander. They stared right into the face of death each time they climbed into that cockpit. Each time they were aware of the chance that they could meet their doom in the heat of battle."

A couple of mouths had fallen open. They way he told it, it wasn't hard to imagine how it must feel. The thought that each day could be your last but having no choice but to follow orders because the survival of your race depends on it was a most unnerving one.

"Son of a gun" Korso heard himself say.

"The mortal fear they have to endure sometimes. This is one of those stories he told me once. About a UEF Commander named Wesley Thompson. He was facing his hardest battle yet on the planet Matar, which was once a UEF prime world before its population was decimated by the Seraphim assault."

"What happened?" Cale asked.

With the entire _Valkyrie _crew hanging on his lips Jason began to tell. As if a movie began to play in their minds, everyone except for Gune maybe had more or less the same images in front of them.

"The retake of Matar was a hard one. The planet was a paradise once, home to a few million UEF citizens before all was swept away by a single devastating attack from the sky. Commander Thompson was one out of a few experienced Commanders sent to Matar with the common goal to attack and destroy any Seraphim bases, wipe out their forces and liberate the planet. However, after the initial landing on Matar, Coalition Command never expected the operation to result into a four month struggle. The Seraphim were dug in deep and a lot tougher than expected. It was in the middle of the third month when it happened."

What little time passed between this sentence and the next created a suspense too big for the crew to cope with. They were all trying to sit as close to him as possible, not to run the risk of missing anything. The noisy crowd didn't help much either.

"Tired as he was from fighting for eighteen hours straight, Commander Thompson was still faced with overwhelming numbers from a nearby Seraphim base. One of the problems he and most other Commanders had to face was that the Seraphim had taken most of the resource rich areas for themselves and constructed numerous bases and defenses on the many islands surrounding the main land masses. Who wanted to live was forced to attack or be destroyed by their own economical disadvantage. He just couldn't keep enough resources flowing back into his base to withstand the Seraphim attacks that grew in strength with each time. They send wave after wave at his base. With his defenses crumbling under the overwhelming number of foes he was forced to fall back and call for backup, which never came. At least not until three weeks later."

"How did he survive? What happened?" Akima asked.

"They never expected the Seraphim presence on Matar to be that strong but they rendered it almost impossible for them to strike back. They never expected an attack from another angle. With a swift surprise attack the Seraphim attacked and destroyed the Coalition command carrier in orbit of Matar and disabled the planet's quantum gate, trapping all Coalition forces on the planet surface with no way of getting reinforcements any time soon. Commander Thompson had no choice but to leave his base and pull back to help out his fellow Commanders in order to hold out until they could reestablish contact with Coalition Command. However, before he could reach the beach and use the sea as cover from attacks from above he saw them on his radar. A large group of bombers heading for his location. He knew that with the limited air defenses available on his ACU he would be no match for a squadron of ten Seraphim _Sinntha_ bombers with close-range air support. You have to understand, these are their top-of-the-line strategic bombers capable of obliterating almost everything within a hundred meters of the impact area of their payload."

He paused for a moment figuring how to tell the last part.

"Using the last of his surviving forces as cover, he headed for a nearby rock formation as fast as his ACU allowed him to and made himself as small as possible, trying to use the rocks as a shield to protect the massive machine. The few lonely fighters and flak artillery were no match for their numbers and the green blips disappeared from his command interface faster than his eyes could follow. With the blaring sound of alarms going off and warning lights flashing all around him he shut down his ACU's main fusion reactor, venting all volatile matter from the core and switched to backup power. Making himself small in the cockpit, using his arms to protect his head from injury he awaited the bang, praying that his last ragged breaths wouldn't be his last. As the bombs hit their hunkered target, the detonations buried his ACU under a massive load of solid rock."

"Why didn't he just surrender? How can someone survive all of that?" Korso asked, crossing his arms.

He didn't want to dispute the matter but some people just made it look a little more brighter than it actually was.

"The Seraphim are a ruthless enemy. They don't take prisoners, especially not humans. Those who have sided with the Order were all brought to trail and executed after the war was over. Back to Commander Thompson, we're straying from the plot. It turned out that despite the fact that the avalanche had knocked out most systems including repair subsystems and communications, the thick layer of solid rock was also his salvation. The high concentration of metal alloys blinded the enemy's sensors for his presence making the Commander believe the target had been neutralized. However, Commander Thompson was still very much alive, although out of the fight and totally helpless. He lived on rations but those wouldn't last forever. Eventually he even had to drink his own… Well you get the idea" he said, watching a couple of facial expressions change into disgust.

If you ask a man what he will do in order to survive he wouldn't hesitate to say 'anything' at a given moment.

"After more than three weeks they found him, alive but barely. It took the Coalition that long to reestablish contact with forces on Matar and send the reinforcements to relieve them. He was severely dehydrated and underfed but he survived and that's the only thing that matters in the end. After that, Matar was retaken by the Coalition in less than two weeks. It was all more or less the result of in error in assessment."

And with those concluding words he finished the story. It was as silent as the grave for a moment at their table. Until the voice of Chrysta, Jason's second in command cut through that moment like a blade.

"Go ahead?"

"Captain, you better come and see this. There's something that needs your attention."

"Can it wait?" Jason asked, crossing his fingers.

He already knew the answer and it was probably a little more important than their little chatter.

"I'm afraid not sir. It's not urgent but you better come and see this. Admiral Cunnington has specifically ordered every single thing with a sensor array of some sort to stay on the lookout for suspicious readings like this and it looks like one of our patrols detected something that could be it."

"I'll be there in a moment Number One, Pierce out."

As Jason stood up to leave, he shot a quick glance at the _Valkyrie_ crew for one more time.

"Be on your guard. Something's coming but no one knows what. There's no telling, no predicting where they will strike first."

"Thanks" Korso said, standing up as well.

"You better check it out. This could be a sign."

"You can count on it."

As Jason hit his combadge to request a beam-out, Cale's wristcom received a message as well. The wrist worn communicator with small holographic emitter displayed a man from one of the information centers in the lobbies down below.

"Lieutenant Cale Tucker?"

"That's who you're talking to" Cale replied.

"There's someone here for you."

Wondering what this was all about, Cale thought about everyone who could possibly want to meet him. Almost every human on New Earth knew who he was but the amount of people who were truly on the level of being considered a friend was really small. He didn't have any family, or did he?

"Who is it?" he asked, holding his breath.

He let it escape with an astonished sigh when the voice of his alien sister echoed over the com. channel.

"Cale is that you?" the girlish voice said tearfully.

"Iji?"

As fast as he could, Cale ran down the pedestrian bridges to the elevators, thinking only about one thing. Or two actually as his thoughts were divided into two things and two things only. One half was with the young Vusstran girl down there in the lobby who had him as her only family now. As a child, he had called his adopted alien sister 'nuisance', 'pest', 'brat' or more things that generally meant 'being annoying' a dozen times a day but now he only felt sorry for her. Her parents had died in a transport accident on Vusstra after which Tek's wife Ryt had taken over nurturing the pod from which all Vusstrans were hatched. Even Ryt's death some time later couldn't tear their family apart but now that Tek and thereby the only native family she still had had been killed in the war that cost so many lives he was practically the only person keeping her from becoming an orphan. In essence, she _was_ his sister and Cale felt more than obligated to take her under his wing, just like Tek did for him when he was merely a boy.

"Who is she Cale?" Akima wanted to know.

Her husband let out an exasperated sigh, staring through the transparent wall of the elevator, not into the heart of the city, but into the memories of his past. As the elevator raced down, his mind brought him back to polluted Vusstra in a flash. It had been a difficult time full of misplaced anger towards his father and frustration over his hard life on the alien world. Tek had always tried to make it better. He always wanted to make everything better. Something he inevitably succeeded in with the Vusstran Renewal Plan, his project based on Cale's father's Titan technology to restore the planet's ecosystem back to the fertile state it once was in a distant past. Even now that he had left this life behind, his accomplishments as a scientist would provide for a happy and healthier life for all members of his race.

"That's terrible. We've gotta take care of her" Akima said immediately after he finished explaining.

"If that's okay with you" Cale replied as the elevator hit the lowest level and the doors slit aside.

"Of course Cale, she's your sister. What else can I say?"

Not replying to her last question he headed towards the information center that contacted him. He had almost reached the desk when he felt a heavy load of Vusstran being thrown against him. Feeling two arms wrapping themselves around his back he had to force the air in his lungs to stay inside, so much force she was using. When he looked down he stared into two big round eyes in a greenish-brown face that had the saddest expression he had ever seen from her. Her thick bottom lip quivered as she opened her beak-like snout to speak.

"Cale, it's you. I… I never thought to see a familiar face again" she stuttered.

"Iji, I… I'm so glad to see you too."

Swallowing back the tears he felt coming, he held his now teenage sister in his arms as she cried. He couldn't even bring himself to call her _Ijit_, the scornful pet name he used to tease her with when they were young. He softly stroke her head, her leathery skin feeling rough to his hands. Akima came standing next to him feeling immediately sorry for the poor girl, who had lost her parents twice according to Cale's story. She muttered a few soothing words to the girl in order to make her feel a bit better when two large Vusstrans approached them, one of them clearing his throat.

"I take it that you are Mr. Tucker, the child's brother?" the man said harshly, obviously not interested in anything but to conclude the matter about the guardianship of his client.

"I am Cale Tucker" he replied returning the harshness as he stared back into the grumpy alien's large round eyes.

The child's welfare didn't matter to him, just how to finish this job quickly and get over to the next one.

"May I ask for your thumbprint under this, this in and this document for your agreement to place the girl under the guardianship of you and your… mate?"

Rubbing Iji's back, he received the holoscroll with his other hand, quickly moving over the loads of text in Vusstran he didn't understand anyway and placed his thumb firmly on the pad a few times.

"Here, take it."

"Thank you. Have a nice day."

Walking towards the entrance the two men gradually began to disappear out of sight, to the satisfaction of Cale. Iji, who had more or less stopped crying turned her face towards them and flared her nostril slits. It was rude gesture by Vusstran standards and the equivalent of sticking out one's tongue. Cale couldn't blame her for doing so; he didn't like the two men either.

"Iji, I'm so sorry. I wanted to go and find you and your father but…"

"Father is dead Cale. He's gone."

"I've been so selfish. I should have gone right away" he admitted.

If he had gone looking for Tek as soon as New Earth had been created this wouldn't have happened. He would have gone back to Tau-14 and then get Iji back from Vusstra, ask them to live here. He knew his foster-father and also knew that Tek wouldn't have agreed to leave Vusstra. But at least he could've asked.

"You're blaming yourself, aren't you Cale?" Akima asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you brother?" Iji asked, letting go of him a little, allowing him some room to breathe.

"I don't know. I should have gone back for him" Cale replied harshly, running an absent-minded hand through his hair.

"Father wouldn't have wanted you to blame yourself Cale" Iji said, tugging his arm.

"He loved you like you were his own son. You _were_ his own son."

"C'mon, let's go to our apartment" Akima decided to break the tension a little.

"I'm Akima, Cale's wife."

"Pleased to meet you, I'm Iji" she said, sticking out her hand and biting her lower lip.

"Nice to meet you too, Iji. Let's go. I'm gonna make something for you you'll like."

Knowing that she would never be a real replacement for her father and so did Cale, they took the nearest elevator to the level of their apartment. Flinging an arm around the girl's shoulder in an almost motherly gesture, Akima felt the girl relax a little under the weight. At least she had people around her who were kind to her and took care of her like she was their beloved daughter. Love was something each child, no matter how young or old needed and at this moment she needed all she could get.

* * *

"C'mon, get up and fight!" Preed heard the sound of his Captain's voice yelling in his ear.

It echoed through the ship's armory and his head like a horn. He had lost count at how many times his back and head had made a rather rough contact with the deck, but judging by the nasty headache he was beginning to develop it was more than enough to make him realize that he was done with it for today. Scrambling back to his feet he could feel his legs wobble under the weight of his body, his vision blurred by a slight dizziness that slowly faded away with each blink. He hadn't improved much. Ayko was well-trained and an excellent fighter with any weapon, including her own fists. His black left eye was a good example of that. The only thing he managed to do was increase the time between the start and the next bruise. Not by much but it was an improvement nonetheless.

"I can't do it anymore" Preed panted heavily.

"Please Ay… Captain, how can I assist you on the bridge when I'm completely worn out?"

"Hmm I believe that's where the term 'replacement' comes in" Ayko replied, unaffected by her First Officer and boyfriend's condition.

"One more time Preed and I'll reconsider about my punishment of letting you scrub plasma conduits for two weeks. At least it will help develop some muscle mass. Think about what Khiosa would have done instead."

"Kill me a hundred times?" Preed smirked, his futile attempt at humor only causing his Captain to produce an annoyed grumble.

She looked at him, sighing and slipped her knife back into the sheath on her belt. With either his knife or his fists, Preed still had proven to be no match for her. With a few fast strikes she could have him floored before he could even say 'fight'.

"All right, it's enough" she decided, popping a few joints in her hands.

"Well, I did better this time" Preed attempted to improve her mood, which he did not.

"Oh, c'mon stop deluding yourself. You don't stand a chance if you had to face him right now."

The best thing he could do was only prolong his suffering and delay his inevitable death if this were a real fight.

"Report to sickbay. You look like someone's beaten you up."

Turning her back on him she began to walk into the direction of the door.

"Well actually you did" Preed replied, still managing to produce a faint smile.

"Don't say anything Commander. It could have been a real fight, which it was not, thanks to your undeniable lack of training _,_ but you could at least act like it was. Where do you think you're going anyway?"

He was held back by Ayko's firm hand on his chest.

"Report to sickbay" Preed replied raising an eyeridge.

"After you've done fifty pushups" she said coldly.

"Fifty? But-"

"Do I have to start counting for you Commander?"

Letting himself drop on his knees with a sigh he knew he was not going to get out of his one. It was either hit the fifty on pushups or scrub those plasma conduits for two weeks. Definitely wanting to avoid the latter at all costs he made himself as tall and straight as possible. His long thin arms almost didn't seem capable of carrying his weight but in spite of that he let himself drop to the floor in a not so fluent motion. It was more as if something suddenly snapped and he dropped to the floor but before his beak crashed into the deck he began pressing himself up again.

"That's it. All the way down" Ayko said, nodding approvingly.

Suppressing the pain in his back until the moment came that the pain in his arms surpassed it Preed kept remembering himself about the reason why he was doing this. Feeling the sweat running down from his webbed armpits he kept pushing his burning muscles till the last moment.

"_Gotta keep going"_ he thought, spitting out each breath with a loud groaning when he hit the thirty.

Droplets of sweat trickled down his face to the end of his beak where they converged at the tip and his ragged breaths blew them away.

"Bridge to Captain Ayko."

Preed stopped for a moment and looked up at her when she brought her wristcom. to her mouth.

"Spit it out" Ayko said inadvertently, leaning back against the wall.

"Captain we've got something on sensors. It might be another one of those ships. This one is certainly bigger than the last one."

"I'm coming. Don't lose it!"

Switching her attention to Preed she signaled him to get up.

"You can do the rest later. Report to sickbay and have that eye fixed, then I want you on the bridge."

"Right away Captain" Preed brought out, leaving the armory in front of her.

Where he limped right she walked straight ahead, back to the ship's command center. This time they wouldn't get away without her taking a closer look.

"Report!" Ayko barked, taking her place into the center seat, staring straight at the main viewer.

They wouldn't escape their sensors this time. She began to tap nervously on the armrest of her chair, which seemed to have a positive effect on the speed at which her crew handled her orders.

"Unknown contact Captain. Distance: Point two five lightyears" Iyu reported, translating her sensor readings into something assessable for her Captain.

"Enter stealth mode. Keep you power levels low everyone. Let's take a closer look."

Cutting power to all non-essential systems, the _N'gara _turned from a Christmas tree to a flickering candle on sensors. Only an active scan would reveal their ship now but as long as they didn't bump into them they should stay hidden.

"Careful Trynan" Ayko said between clenched teeth.

"We're not here to say hi. Only to get a first impression, so to speak."

"Understood Captain" the helmsman replied, setting a course for Iyu's sensor blip.

Whatever it was it certainly knew how to make the entire sector know they were here. The vessel was putting out large amounts of energy for a purpose at the moment still unclear to the _N'gara_'s crew but Ayko figured that they weren't just showing off. Leaving the system they were supposed to patrol, the Akrennian warship entered the empty space between star systems.

"My mistake Captain" Iyu apologized.

"It appears to be more than one contact. But one of them is still considerably larger than the rest. The sensors are still a bit buggy and accuracy leaves something to be desired."

"I want them fixed" Ayko snarled.

"At the earliest opportunity, whoever is responsible."

Not sure if her Captain meant her, Iyu made the right decision, not to reply directly. Instead she continued her scans until she could get more details. A full powered sensor sweep would almost certainly reveal their position so she had to do it manually.

"Possible enemy fleet is entering visual range."

"Show me."

Whoever this strange alien race was they certainly knew how to build unique vessels. It was as if each ship was made by hand, an elegant but deadly asymmetric design carrying all kinds of secrets under its shiny armored surface. There was nothing small about it this time. The ones that were 'smaller' were definitely warships, as Iyu's sensors gradually began to detect things that could be weapon systems and shields. But the intimidating size of the vessel they were flanking did it all, dwarfing the others like they were just toys. The primary hull was huge, elongated but with no sharp edges whatsoever. A large vertical fin penetrated the primary hull more or less in the middle. But the most peculiar attachment was the ring structure attached to the starboard side of the ship, running parallel to this fin. All of the outer hull was constructed out of the same metal alloy as the flanking ships. It was both beautiful and frightening at the same time as this gargantuan spacecraft was generating a lot of energy and according to Iyu's scans it was not a warship as it possessed only defensive batteries. It was colossal but not build with fighting battles in mind.

"Keep your distance Trynan" Ayko ordered, incapable of tearing her eyes from the screen.

"If they detect us and decide to test their weapons on us, atoms are gonna be jealous at the size of our remains."

"This is unbelievable" Iyu brought out, double-checking her sensor readings.

The ship's sensors were having a hard time determining what they were dealing with.

"Explain."

"Captain whoever this race is, they do not appear to be using any type of conventional drive systems. It looks like an advanced form of singularity propulsion. They're using an artificially created singularity as their primary source of power. It's generating more power than ten of our warp cores together."

"Showoffs" Ayko grumbled.

She didn't even realize that Preed had entered the bridge and silently took his seat on her right side. Until he too made a sound like he just saw all of Akrennia's moons fall from the sky. It was until then that Ayko got him in her eyesight.

"Take your seat Commander. We've just hit the jackpot" she said, grinning.

"Captain! Power levels are rising. It looks like she's preparing for something."

"This is dangerous, we could be detected" Sokarr warned his sister.

"I don't think anybody was asking for your opinion" Ayko sneered.

"She's opening some kind of singularity…" Iyu said, rapidly tapping buttons on her console, trying to keep up with everything that was happening.

In front of the massive vessel and its escorts, a fissure opened, large enough to get even the colossal ship itself through. It was large, blue in color but its behavior seemed to be controlled by the ship. Iyu couldn't believe her eyes anymore and double- and triple-checked her readings before consulting her Captain.

"Captain, if my readings are correct we're looking at something beyond any form of travel we've ever come up with. It's quantum space."

Her one ear slowly flattening, Ayko made a sound that held the middle between a laugh and a grunt. Was her science officer making fun of her now?

"Quantum space? I thought that was only theoretical and never considered possible."

"Well it appears, it's not to them. They're preparing to jump."

"I don't like the looks of this. Standby to follow. For all we know they could be heading to attack a populated world."

Immediately carrying out her orders, Trynan maneuvered the _N'gara _into a suitable position to pursue. Standing up from his chair, Sokarr prepared to face his Captain and sister directly.

"Captain I object. This could be a mistake. I-"

"Objection noted!" Ayko bit back, without even looking at her brother.

The annoying pest had to keep his mouth shut or her next move could be something she would really regret.

"We have never encountered quantum space before. We don't even know how it will affect our systems. The stress on the outer hull could tear us apart."

"Enough!" Ayko shouted, her eyes breathing fire.

"I will not have this discussion on my bridge!"

Before she could unleash her fury down upon him Preed felt the urge to object too. As a First Officer he had the obligation to assist his Captain wherever possible and warn her if something didn't feel right to him.

"Captain, as much as I hate to agree with him, I must admit that he's right. We don't know what we're dealing with here."

Directing her attention at him, she didn't know if she should get mad or listen. Apparently Preed didn't feel right about her decision either. But before she could react, her chance to decide disappeared with the unknown vessels into quantum space. One by one the mighty vessels jumped. The largest ship, responsible for keeping the tunnel from collapsing went as last. Too short for Ayko to react, the entrance closed after that, leaving no trace that a small fleet had just passed here and opened a hole in space-time to jump distances far greater and in much shorter time that with a conventional warp drive.

"They could be anywhere in the galaxy right about now" Iyu confirmed, finishing the last of her scans.

Uttering a curse word, Ayko had to satisfy herself with the data they had collected. But something else had gotten on her mind. She stood up and was about to leave the bridge without saying a word.

"Captain?" Preed said.

"Resume previous patrol route. I've got to discuss this with Command. You have the bridge" she said a little curt.

"But ma'am" Trynan wanted to say.

"Keep quiet and follow my orders" Ayko said, the door of her ready room sliding open.

"Iyu, you said they could be anywhere in the galaxy right now. That could also mean in orbit of Akrennia."

Without any further words, the doors closed behind her and it was silent for a moment. Preed had noticed the change in her voice. She was concerned and for some reason he didn't like that.

"All right, you heard the Captain" he tried to break through the silence.

Doing as he said, the crew went back to work. Iyu even confirmed that they got a team working on recalibrating the sensors down in deflector control. He quit staring at the viewscreen and returned to duty as well although the anxiety kept hanging in the back of his mind. Something was coming but the two factors 'when' and 'where' were still the greatest unknowns.


	17. Chapter 14 Warriors of The Way

**Warriors of **_**The Way**_

The main temple was the most beautiful place in the entire complex. All Seraphim regularly came to places like these to meditate, to study _The Way_ in its pure form and to socialize with each other in a way that made using your mouth to speak look like a wooden club to a thirty-first century engineer. Although a warrior wasn't capable of doing any of these things, Asath-Yvanu was still sort of proud of this tiny little piece of home. All Seraphim temples shared the same basic design elements and so did his. The symbolism used in its construction added a sense of purity to this special space, almost as pure as _The Way _itself. While being inside this room, he could almost feel _The Way_ again. The empathic force was always there, balancing on the edge of his perception. It felt the closest here, in this very room. So close, and yet so far away. It was as if he could light the match but not stretch out his arm far enough to light the fuse, no matter how hard he tried. But Asath-Yvanu was currently in the room adjacent to the temple. A room quite different from the temple and against everything practiced in the shrine of _The Way_. The holographic wall piece separating the two rooms created the illusion that it didn't even exist but the three living beings currently occupying the war room proved that it did.

There in the middle of all the translucent holographic screens that seemed to float in mid-air the head of three made preparations to launch the first phase in their assault on the galaxy. Although phase one was only a test and nothing more, it was a crucial one as any flaws in revised and new designs would show themselves when tested in the field and pushed to their absolute limits. Otho-Ivotha smirked malignantly, his golden eyes fixed on the larger center screen. Feeling pride over his creation as it glided through the vacuum of space like a giant space whale he let out a laugh. This was the moment he had been waiting for. To see it in action, to test if all of its systems were working like they were supposed to be. Despite being colossal in size, the vessel was currently unmanned and operated entirely by remote. Advanced computer- and fully automated maintenance systems did the rest.

"Go to full view" Otho-Ivotha hissed.

He wanted to sit on the front row now that the first act was about to begin. The computer chirped, the lighting in the room dimming and it almost went completely dark. However the holographic screens in the middle disappeared and the view of the fleet was transferred to the outer walls which were built like a dome, presenting the viewer with a full holographic view of space, like floating in the middle of everything. Zekh-Asovash scoffed and reacted more than a little agitated.

"Enough with the suspense already, get to it!"

"Patience" Asath-Yvanu said calmly, putting him back on his place.

He was much calmer but with enough strength in his voice to make clear that he didn't tolerate this behavior between the two people he was supposed to work with. Directing his attention at the red-brownish Seraphim he snorted.

"The time will come for you to do your part. In the mean time, _take_ some time to sit back and enjoy brother. It will be our first step toward a new Order. Our Order."

Slowly turning his head away from a grumbling Zekh-Asovash, Asath-Yvanu's malicious grin played on his face while looking at his other brother.

"Take your creation to that planet we located. It will make an excellent target to take the ACU's out for a walk around the corner."

"As you wish" Otho-Ivotha replied, his eyes glittering dangerously.

"Computer, initiate quantum tunneling systems."

"Standby" the computer replied.

A quantum singularity began to open in front of the massive vessel almost instantly, the size increasing with the amount of power transferred to the main emitter arrays. Opening a fissure into the quantum realm was their way of circumventing the limitations of conventional warp travel and get anywhere they wanted in a very short amount of time.

"_So much more efficient than those primitive beings who dare to call themselves intelligent"_ Otho-Ivotha thought, a sneer cutting across his reptile-like face.

A soft warning echoed through the room as their small fleet prepared for the jump.

"Proximity alert. Unknown vessel detected. Advice caution. Proceed with jump?"

"Your call" Asath-Yvanu said, his eyes making contact with his.

He trusted him to make the right decision. Within a fraction of a second Otho-Ivotha's highly developed brain made the choice. Blowing them out of the sky would've been something he once knew as fun but making them shudder with fear was a more satisfying thought. Considering doubt merely a waste of time he ordered the jump. He couldn't determine if Asath-Yvanu had the same reasoning but he didn't spend any more words on the matter. Tunneling through quantum space happened in the blink of an eye and after a short winding ride through the depths of the dimension where everything was possible, the small unmanned Seraphim fleet exited the quantum tunnel and re-entered normal space near an uninhabited world in a small system far from any trade routes or inhabited planets.

"Quantum jump successful. All onboard systems register as functional. Ready to receive further instructions" the computer stated.

A faint smile appearing on his face, Otho-Ivotha did a few steps towards the middle and asked for an input. He needed to perform a few complex tasks he didn't trust in the hands of anyone but himself. A translucent screen and virtual keyboard materialized in front of him, as if they were completely build up out of light. Letting his long slender fingers dance over the panels, the holographic system registering their touch, he rapidly and flawlessly entered each of the instructions into the main computer, which transferred them over to the quantum gate ship.

"I take it that your warriors are standing by?" Asath-Yvanu asked, an imposing undertone in his voice.

His brother's bright green eyes flickered in the dark. The question however was answered by the sudden presence of one of their warrior brothers who stepped through the holographic piece of wall separating the war room from the temple. He bowed respectfully for his superiors, short but graceful. A certain order in their group had been established and those who disobeyed the rules were punished. Punishments could be severe, ranging from spending a few hours in complete isolation of the rest to death by execution. Without order there would be chaos and if there was something each Seraphim disliked just as much as losing their connection to each other it would be chaos. Especially because the latter was an irrevocable consequence of the first.

"I am ready to begin."

Zekh-Asovash laughed. It was a cold malevolent laugh without joy that echoed through the room like it was trying to find a way out of there.

"Report to the launch gate. Began preparation procedures."

Making a slight bow, giving his superior a signal that he understood the order he turned around and left the same way he entered. Zekh-Asovash could feel the thrill of battle calling. It was like a drug, injected into his bloodstream whenever it was time to fight. He could feel his heartbeat and respiration rising, the beast inside him waking up, ready to kill and destroy anything in its path. There was no _Way _to keep his desires under control, no War Leader which used his strong connection to the empathic force to keep him calm and focused. Without Asath-Yvanu's breathing techniques he applied as soon as he felt those desires, like at this very moment, he could go wild and start tearing the place apart.

"Where is your second warrior?" Asath-Yvanu's voice disturbed his meditation.

_Do you still have to ask?_ The battles on the ground were his responsibility, his department. Therefore, it would be nothing more but logical for him to control the first ACU. The Armored Command Unit, the ultimate weapon, the instrument of waging a successful war on this magnitude. Some would say it was nothing more than a tool. But the pilot, or Commander, knew better than that. It was a powerful extension of your own body, giving you full control over your actions on the battlefield. Those who wield the power of the Armored Command Unit were unrivaled and not for nothing called a Supreme Commander.

"You're looking at him" Zekh-Asovash replied, blowing air through his nostrils with a snort.

His brother grumbled something indistinct. He knew he couldn't do anything to withhold him from putting on a pilot's suit. He was just as much a member of the head of three as he was. He had no business sticking his nose in his department.

"Do what you have to then" Asath-Yvanu closed the matter.

"I intend to."

Leaving the room with firm steps, crossing the temple ground as he sped up his pace, Zekh-Asovash couldn't make the smile forced on his reptile-like face disappear. This was what he was made for in the first place. To do the honor of becoming a warrior for his race and fight. Turning right at the next junction through the windowed tunnel, which offered a view of the nebula surrounding their asteroid base of operations, he headed for ACU launch control. It had taken them some time to construct two fully functional ACU's and a quantum gate and a lot more to build the mobile gate. Now that their operation had started, building more wouldn't be as difficult. Finding and fabricating the required mass and energy for the first batch had taken its time but there were plenty of resource-rich planets on which they could start building their new empire.

"_And if we can't find one, we can just as easily take one that's already inhabited" _he thought, laughing silently.

When he arrived at launch control he could already see the first of the two massive pods, each containing an ACU being positioned in front of the inactive gate. The launch bay was massive, easily the largest facility in the entire complex and the starting point of each mission from now on. Normally an ACU wouldn't be capable of safe maneuvering in space and setting down on a planet was an almost impossible job. Therefore, the huge machine would be sent in a package -the pod- which would enter the atmosphere, slow down to a much safer speed and impact on the planet surface. After that the pod would break open and from that moment on the Commander could began locating resources and building up his base. The pods were heavily armored and shielded and could even be shot straight through enemy defenses to land directly on the planet without the need of an assault force to destroy any orbital batteries first. Once down on the planet, a simple but powerful jammer would render targeting systems of orbital platforms and ships useless. It was a simple way to circumvent the biggest disadvantage of regular ACU deployment. For an ACU to be deployed directly onto the planet surface, a quantum gate had to be near. In enemy occupied systems, there was no way to get the gate ship close enough to the planet to materialize an ACU before being destroyed by enemy fire. Therefore drop pods would be transported through the gate and then send on their way towards the planet from a great distance. The concept was simple and should prove to be effective.

Putting on a pilot suit, fitted with all kinds of sensors to keep track of his vital signs and allow more efficient control over the ACU's functions, Zekh-Asovash physically and mentally prepared himself for the battle to come. Eniiv-Ulhanow was an excellent Commander but preferably used ground units to destroy his enemies. They had studied each other's tactics, like any Commander would try to do. Knowing your enemy was perhaps the best chance of winning but preparing yourself for a fight like this was virtually impossible. The outcome was as clear as the universe was stable, an equation with too many variables to determine the exact answer. Considering himself as ready as he would ever be, he stepped onto the pad of the small quantum teleporter. Almost feeling his body being quickly compressed into a data stream and moved through the quantum realm at near infinite speeds he rematerialized inside the cockpit of his ACU. The computer of the large machine instantly detected the presence of its pilot and powered up the rest of its systems.

"Scanning" the computer stated, as the internal scanners performed their work on Zekh-Asovash's body and linked his DNA to his personnel file.

Large screens covering every square inch of space in front of him, showed him an overview of everything that was going in- and outside of the ACU. The entire battle command interface was based on readings from the sensors on the outside of his ACU and every unit or building under his control. Everything was linked to this single suit, like a giant complex network. The ACU's status and the status of its pilot were displayed on a screen to the right. Both were currently in the green area. He noticed that his heartbeat was slightly on the high side but he figured that it was just the excitement of the battle to come.

"Hello Zekh-Asovash. I am your ACU. I'm pleased to inform you that all systems report nominal. Ready to receive further instructions from you Commander."

Tapping a few buttons on the screen to bring up the status reports he couldn't find a reason not to proceed.

"Begin launch sequence."

"Confirmed. Initiating launch sequence. Standby for quantum gate activation."

External optical sensors fixed their view on what was lying in front of the pod containing his ACU. The pod of his opponent was hovering in a force field above the rails that lead towards the quantum gate. In the mean time the massive circular portal began powering up, the emitters inside the ring structure opening a rift into quantum space to allow for instant travel over vast distances.

"Incoming transmission" the computer reported, the message flashing on the screen.

Eniiv-Ulhanow's face appeared on screen, his smirk reflecting his confidence and desire to begin the battle. They had run simulations together before and Zekh-Asovash had to admit, he was an interesting opponent.

"I wish you good luck Commander. I think you'll need it."

Zekh-Asovash let out a laugh.

"I assure you that luck has nothing to do with the outcome of this battle."

His opponent made a noise that sounded like an annoyed grunt.

"You may have beaten me before but that doesn't mean that I'm going to let you win this one easily."

Zekh-Asovash's response almost sounded like a chuckle. _The arrogant fool thinks he knows what I'm up to. Is he in for quite a surprise. _But instead he reacted calmly, not letting his anger get the better of him.

"Don't let your overconfidence blind you ability to see, my arrogant brother."

To his satisfaction, Eniiv-Ulhanow bit his teeth and growled after which he ended the transmission with a slam on the virtual button. Now he had him angry and heated up for the fight. _He might even make a mistake. _A bright flash of light filled the cockpit of his ACU when the screen in front of him lit to a blinding intensity for a short moment.

"Quantum gate activated and secured. Connection stable. You are clear to proceed Commander."

That was according to the computer as the next incoming transmission from the war room proved. His brothers appeared on screen and gave him the all clear signal.

"May you find victory in _The Way_ my brother" Asath-Yvanu said calmly.

"Stop acting like you didn't tell _him_ the same thing" he bit back.

"We are all children of the quantum realm Zekh-Asovash. Never forget that."

"Connection is stable. You may enter the gate and start you descent towards the planet as soon as you exit" Otho-Ivotha instructed.

The massive quantum gate ship, currently in a high orbit above the planet was the other end of the tunnel they just created. The massive ring structure was currently holding the exit aperture stable. The amount of power required to keep a quantum tunnel with loose ends from collapsing was enormous. Modifications to the quantum fields had to be constantly recalculated in an extremely rapid order to prevent the tunnel from collapsing, a job keeping every computer aboard from performing tasks other than that.

"Confirmed."

And with a touch of his finger he ended the transmission.

"_Enough fooling around, let's get to it" _he thought, ordering the computer to begin the launch.

The massive pod containing his Armored Command Unit slowly began to accelerate towards the gate together with the other one. Of course they could just deploy the ACU the regular way as there was no enemy force keeping them from doing that but it would be a good time to test the pods. They were just as much a vital link in their plan as any other. Closing his eyes, embracing the very short moment his body was taken to the other dimension and moved with the artificially created currents of quantum space, he felt closer to _The Way _then he had been for a long time. He could almost feel it, taste it, but only that single word -almost- was keeping him from reaching out. Trying to memorize what it felt like, savoring the moment as it felt as if it passed quicker than a heartbeat he tried to keep that memory for later. It was over before he realized it. Time had little to none meaning in the quantum realm and he snapped out of it in a shock, watching the quantum gate ship become smaller and smaller on the screen in front of him.

"Zekh-Asovash what are you doing?" Asath-Yvanu's voice snarled through the cockpit.

Tapping a few buttons to find out what his brother was so upset about he realized he had already missed the atmospheric entry point and the computer was rapidly performing calculations to determine the best possible alternative. Bringing the orbiting pod into a descending trajectory to a spot much further from where he was supposed to land, the computer relayed the necessary course corrections to his opponent. Otherwise the distance between the two of them would be too great and it could take hours, maybe days before they finally made contact with each other in battle.

"Keep your head with the mission or I'll have you recalled. Stay focused!"

Feeling anger towards himself for letting his attention drift away into the other dimension, he confirmed and let out a frustrated growl. Pleasures like that would only make him soft and weak, two bad qualities that could be his undoing in battle.

"You're coming in too fast. Slow down."

They would keep monitoring the fight from up there. All sensor and battlefield data from the ACU's and their created units was logged for both later and real-time analysis. Any flaws in systems and hardware could be repaired instantly in or after battle based on this data. As the pods plummeted through the atmosphere, lighting up like a pair of shooting stars, thrusters fired to begin slowing them down and keeping them on course. If they would keep following their current trajectory, they would land at approximately twenty-five kilometers from each other. It would be enough for a fairly interesting battle. Feeling the temperature rise inside the trembling cockpit, Zekh-Asovash felt his excitement taking a step upward with it. He took a deep breath when the pod cleared the upper layer of the atmosphere and the flames disappeared from his view. The screen showed the rapidly approaching surface of an uninhabited, somewhat dry world. Patches of water and some sparse vegetation, not much of interest. It would make the perfect world for a little target practice. As Eniiv-Ulhanow's pod veered off from his, both began increasing power to their landing thrusters to make the impending collision with the planet a little less rough. Making sure he was strapped in tight, Zekh-Asovash braced himself for impact.

_**Authors note: Music track 6**_

The inertial dampeners did quite a job, considering he didn't feel completely squished afterwards. Uncomfortable was not entirely the right word to describe it but at least his bone structure showed intact on the status monitor.

"Landing successful. Beginning deployment."

As the computer proceeded with the automatic deployment of the ACU, Asath-Yvanu's voice confirmed that the communication system was in perfect working order.

"Feeling a little shaken up Commander?"

"The landing part needs some work done but I'm fine" he spat.

Rubbing over a bruise on the side of his head he activated all external sensors to take a good look. When the pod split open and revealed the massive Seraphim ACU in all its glory, its pilot had a hard time keeping his excitement under control. Finally he was in command again, the power of an entire army under his control. As the ACU rose above all else so did its Commander.

"Commander, sensors have revealed that the nearest resource deposits have been detected at hundred-and-fifty meters from your current location. Shall I initiate automatic construction of mass extraction facilities?"

"No. Give me manual control."

"Manual control engaged."

"_This is great" _he thought, grabbing the two joysticks that appeared from under the glowing screens.

Now he had his fate in his own hands. With an eye on the screen, where a red icon at approximately twenty-five kilometers from his location displayed the location of Eniiv-Ulhanow's ACU, he moved the huge mech in the direction of the resources that would soon be his. Normally he wouldn't be able to see his enemy from such a distance but for this training exercise they had agreed to reveal their positions to each other, to speed things up a bit. Pressing a button on the right stick, he brought up a view where he selected the schematic of the Tech 1 _Uya-iya _power generator. His ACU was generating some mass and energy on its own but it was nowhere near enough to fuel an army the size of what he needed to defeat his opponent. First he needed to get resources flowing in, then he could start producing an army.

The selection of units and buildings the ACU could build at the start of a battle was somewhat small. Powerful enhances were available to any Commander who could master their abilities but therefore he needed to resources to increase the upgrade's effectiveness. Equipping a commander with a powerful engineering suite while lacking the amount of power and mass to operate the device was a waste of time.

"Any problems so far?" Asath-Yvanu drawled over the com.

"I have no idea what you're talking about" Zekh-Asovash replied coldly, directing the ACU's left arm, containing the engineering suite at a piece of empty ground.

With the schematic loaded into the buffer, the construction beam took the mass and energy reserves stored inside the ACU and began shaping them into something useful. It was an extremely sophisticated process of mass and energy conversion. He never fully understood how it exactly worked but the basic thought was using pure energy to literally force a certain amount of mass to take shape. Each structure or unit was essentially being assembled out of nothing but atoms in the field. Watching the first out of many units take shape, albeit a simple power generator he began to get that feeling back. The feeling of being in total control. One Commander, hundreds of robotic minions following his every command. A feeling of power, sending the chills of excitement up his spine. But he had to concentrate on the battle ahead. His opponent wasn't sitting still either and those red blips on his radar would continue to multiply unless he did something about it.

Putting a couple of generators in place, to get the power flowing, he moved the ACU closer to the deposits the computer had identified as suitable locations for mass extraction facilities and loaded the schematic of the _Hyalatoh _Tech 1 Mass Extractor into the system. Marking the four spots where the concentration of raw materials was high, the computer set the location of each structure into the build queue, beginning automatic construction of each one, allowing the Commander to keep his mind with the battle. As any good Commander, Zekh-Asovash was planning ahead, always trying to stay a few steps ahead of everything. Setting the location for a _Hethiya _Tech 1 Land Factory near the power generators he just built, he was already trying to determine the best possible locations to set up defenses and deciding what tactics to use. The battlefield was a large patch of relatively flat land without many areas of interest. Studying the battlefield in a radius of about hundred kilometers in every direction he quickly made a couple of choices that could mean the difference between victory or defeat in the later stages of the battle. There were no large waters in the vicinity so building a naval force wasn't really worth the effort of trying. Eniiv-Ulhanow had the slight advantage of having a few extra mass deposits nearby so it was safe to assume that he would try to grab hold of those as fast as he could and try a rushing tactic. The extra ones closest to his location were farther away so sending an engineer would be a wise option.

"No problems with building so far. System is responsive and the AI seems to be handling everything with ease."

"Good. Proceed as planned."

Finishing construction of the land factory, he had already ordered a few engineers to be built as soon as the last atom had been put in place. Every unit was automatically assembled and ready to be send straight into battle as soon as it came off the assembly line. Multi-tasking was the most important skill any Commander should learn how to master as not a single unit would perform more than a few basic tasks on its own. It needed instructions and once received the AI would do the rest. Increasing his base's power income by building a couple more _Uya-iya_'s, Zekh-Asovash instructed the engineers to start adding mass and energy storage to the generators and extractors. They increased his maximum storage for when a certain structure or unit used more resources than he currently produced and increased the efficiency of their master structure. In addition, the factory benefitted from the attached power producing structures lowering the energy cost of its units and upgrades. However this strategy also had its drawbacks as each Seraphim power generator, based on a small artificial quantum singularity, was quite volatile and the destruction of one could cause a chain reaction destroying the whole row and causing severe damage to the factory. He had to protect those well.

"System enabled" the computer said, indicating that overcharge could be activated.

It drastically increased the destructive power of the ACU main weapon, making it capable of reducing most units to rubble with one shot. It could come in handy in case of an emergency and he could remember a few battles where it allowed him to get safely out of a close call. Ordering one of his engineers to claim the extra resources he spotted earlier he continued to focus on building up the strength of his economy but not without losing focus on the main objective. Transforming his thoughts into deeds, he added a couple of _Thaam_ medium tanks to his factory's build queue, giving the construction drone hovering above the massive platform where advanced weaponry was brought into existence something to do for the next couple of minutes. These tanks were fast, well-armored for their size and packed quite a punch in packs, their _Oh Spectra Cannons _capable of doing more than little damage. Although being considered large and powerful by many inferior races, these were little more than foot soldiers compared to the products of higher tier factories. Each factory could produce far more powerful units just by ordering an upgrade at its construction menu.

"_Conquering this galaxy is merely a game"_ Zekh-Asovash thought, switching views to his opponent's base while using his ACU to put a few _Uttaus_' in place.

These fixed cannons would help defend his base against any early attackers. A smirk spread over his face when his assessments turned out to be right. Eniiv-Ulhanow focused on building a large land force, and the second land factory he was constructing wasn't a big surprise. Cancelling construction of any anti-air units and defenses for now, he instructed two engineers to start building an air factory near the small row of extra power generators he had just built. A couple of bombers would quickly turn any rushing assault groups into scrap metal with little effort. Accepting an incoming transmission, he was not surprised to stare right into Eniiv-Ulhanow's face.

"Ready to die of humiliation?" he sneered.

Unfazed by the obvious threat in that remark, Zekh-Asovash merely snickered. They were not going to fight until core meltdown. The schematics for the _Hastue_ strategic- and _Yolona Oss_ Experimental Missile Launchers were unavailable for this battle and if one of the ACU's had lost more than fifty percent of its total health, that Commander would automatically lose and the fight would be over. But of course there was always honor to fight for and neither Commander wanted to suffer any disgrace over the loss of a battle nor would they go for the other option of surrender. Mentally, it would still be a fight till death.

"If I would fire my _Chronotron Cannon_ from here, I would still hit you ego. I really wonder how you two manage to fit into that small cockpit."

Grumbling something indistinct, Eniiv-Ulhanow ended the transmission. Now he got him angry and with the first small group of tanks rolling towards his base, he figured it was a weakness he could exploit. Anger could cause people to do rash things as he knew. With the air factory finished and producing some attack bombers to destroy the incoming tanks, which would take a while to get near, he increased his resource income some more and added a second set of factories, directly performing the tech 2 upgrade. With those he would get access to the _Ilshavoh_, a powerful assault bot and the mainstay of each well-balanced Seraphim assault group. It would take some time and with a quick glance at his decreasing mass and energy reserves the computer warned him about the tanks that were by that time almost in range of his base.

Selecting the small group of _Sinnve _bombers he had just constructed, he ordered them to begin their attack run. Immediately ordering a pair of tech 2 engineers from each upgrading factory he figured he had to speed things up a little. A smile spreading over his face, Zekh-Asovash could feel the ground tremble under the feet of his ACU as his _Sinnve_'s dropped their tactical bombs and wiped Eniiv-Ulhanow's _Thaams_ off the face of the planet before they could even reach his defenses. It was one of many waves to come but in the mean time he was preparing for an assault of his own. Those tanks were no match for his bombers because they lacked anti-air capabilities so it would be a good first move of his to send them to his opponent's base. Sending the attack wing on its way he continued to expand and upgrade. Zekh-Asovash grinned. A long time ago it would've taken hours just to build up a base. Technology had evolved, the instruments used for fighting a successful war perfected. In less than an hour he and his opponent could turn this piece of land into a battlefield the likes of which this galaxy had never seen before.

And that was exactly what happened. A moment ago he had been building up his forces, now some time later he was fighting a battle as in old times. Moving his ACU, upgraded for fighting an offensive battle between his own lines of plasma spewing defenses, a large group of units in front of him was battling it out against and equally-sized force of mixed units. The ground trembled, the explosions shaking the planet to its core, as bombs and energy beams turned numerous hostiles into burning wreckage. With the sun disappearing, the darkening sky filled with black smoke was lit by anti-aircraft fire, planes crashing down near him, their leftovers punching themselves into the ground. Sections of his own defense exploded when shields failed to withstand the storm of bolts and beams thrown against the transparent barriers, sending debris flying in all directions. If he had been standing outside, he would have been deaf a long time ago. But Zekh-Asovash wasn't afraid in the least of the battle raging around him like a storm of destruction. He wasn't afraid to die. By becoming a warrior he had agreed to relinquish any chance of ascension and becoming one with _The Way_ whenever his physical body would cease to exist. It was the price to pay for being transformed into one.

"How are you holding up Zekh-Asovash? It's quite a battle if I may say so" Otho-Ivotha who was observing their little war from his safe location asked with amusement.

"Never better, but enough playing around" he spat back.

Gathering his forces for the final push, he left the protection of the enormous energy shields keeping his base safe from harm. So far they had proved to be evenly matched but appearances could be deceptive. He had kept his most valued units out of the fight so far and now Eniiv-Ulhanow would meet his doom. A large number of assault bots, siege tanks and mobile anti-air gathered to replace the forces that had just been destroyed but his most prized possession at the moment was his more than hundred-and-sixty meter tall_ Ythotha_. This experimental war machine was one of the most powerful weapons ever created and could crush most things on its own. With its _Phason Beam Generator_, _Gatling Plasma Cannon_, _Heavy Sinn Unthe Cannon_ and air defense capabilities it was armed to the teeth. In addition, its destruction would unleash the rage of the ferocious _Othuy_, an unstable quantum being that destroyed anything in its path until it eventually disappeared back into the quantum realm. This lethal non-corporeal being couldn't even be targeted by any known weapon as it shifted in and out of phase with this dimension. As he moved his ACU alongside his army he was hailed again by Eniiv-Ulhanow.

"Is that the best you can do?" Zekh-Asovash scoffed, pushing forward over the remains of his opponent's fallen army.

"It's not over yet!" Eniiv-Ulhanow shouted.

A detachment of _Sinntha_'s with close air support left his base, moving towards Zekh-Asovash's location. "Warning, target lock detected" the computer informed him. Responding quickly to the new threat, he ordered a squadron of his own _Iazyne _Air-Superiority Fighters to intercept them before they could release their payload. Zekh-Asovash laughed at this attempt to stop him from destroying his enemy's base.

"If you seriously think those bombers will stop me think again."

"I'll kill you for this!"

"What's the matter? You only want to play a game when you're winning? Is that it?"

He laughed malevolently, not showing any mercy as Eniiv-Ulhanow would have done the same in his case. Enjoying the show, as his own forces intercepted the bombers and engaged in a wild air dance with the enemy interceptors he watched them drop ungracefully from the sky like dead birds, a rain of metal shrapnel hammering the ground, creating the feeling of a miniature earth quake. However some of the bombers remained on course, making the smile disappear from his face. _Darn it. _They were too quick to be destroyed by his mobile anti-air in one pass and those bombs were powerful. He knew it. He couldn't stop them from attacking so he had to evade. Putting his ACU in its highest gear, as the enemy _Sinntha_'s began their bombing run, he tried to evade the _Zhanasee_ bombs by 'outrunning' them. As the glowing pearls of energy passed just overhead, the explosions from behind shook him up.

"Commander under attack. Auto-repair systems engaged."

Watching the screens in front of him flicker, sparks erupting inside the cockpit. If he hadn't been strapped in so tight, his head would have slammed into the glowing panels, knocking him out of the fight. Wiping the sweat off his forehead, he shook his head and assessed the damage. A little closer and his ACU's health would have dropped below the fifty percent, causing him to lose the fight. Thanks to the upgrades he had performed on the nano-repair systems the damage was quickly repaired over time and any nearby units who had survived through the attack had their health replenished as well thanks to the _Rapid Restoration Field_ attached to the ACU's left arm. Clenching his teeth he moved a mobile shield generator closer to his position so that the shield covered his ACU. Coming within range of his opponent's base it was a wise move as he had invested in artillery and the shells began to hammer the shields and armor of his assault force. Sending squadrons of bombers and gunships ahead to take care of those he watched his ground forces open fire on Eniiv-Ulhanow's base.

"_Not a bad defense"_ he thought, watching _Ultrachromatic Beams_ cutting through armor as soon as the shields of his right flank failed.

With gunships opening fire from above, a series of explosions indicated the end of several defensive turrets. His _Ythotha_ lifted its weapons and began sweeping the area. It's devastating weaponry cut through almost everything with ease as the massive experimental bot rolled straight through the base. It was losing health but nothing serious enough to pose a threat. The incoming transmission message blinked on the screen again. It was Eniiv-Ulhanow but there was something about him this time. His laugh had something insane to it. His eyes were bulging out of his head and the sweat was dripping from his face. If Zekh-Asovash was still capable of feeling emotion he would have called it frightening.

"You think it's over don't you?" he cackled.

"Your death will be sweet."

His cockpit trembled as his ACU took multiple hits.

"What the hell are you talking about? It _is _over! Surrender and this fight will stop."

"Never!" he shouted.

A powerful explosion nearby hit Zekh-Asovash's ACU. If the stabilizers hadn't kicked in he would have been knocked over. Eniiv-Ulhanow had used his overcharged _Chronotron Cannon_ and targeted the _Ythotha_ causing its health to make a steep drop.

"_He's lost all sense of reason"_ Zekh-Asovash thought irritated.

"What are you doing? We're supposed to stop!"

"Eniiv-Ulhanow I'm ordering you to stop with what you're doing" Asath-Yvanu's voice sounded over the com system.

He simply sounded that insane laugh again and fired his ACU's weapon at the _Ythotha_ standing in the remains of his base. Zekh-Asovash had already ordered every unit to cease fire as his opponent had only his damaged ACU left. The experimental took a powerful hit and wobbled on its legs. If he destroyed that thing now…

"Farewell Zekh-Asovash" Eniiv-Ulhanow growled.

Zekh-Asovash didn't know exactly what happened after that. There was massive explosion, sending a shockwave powerful enough to knock his ACU off its feet. The giant machine toppled, its stabilizer system unable to compensate and its pilot was shaken up when it hit the ground with an earthshaking bang. But it was nothing compared to the deathblow of the exploding _Ythotha_ hitting the ground, sending debris in all directions. There was a flashing light and Zekh-Asovash watched in horror as the _Othuy _was born out of the wreckage, sending crackling strings of energy in all directions. There was a massive short-out when one of those whips of quantum energy hit his fallen ACU killing several key systems. The _Othuy_ began moving in the direction of Eniiv-Ulhanow's ACU, its unstable energy destroying several of Zekh-Asovash's remaining units in its path.

"What have you done you idiot!" he snarled.

It was maddening to just see him laugh again. Normally a Seraphim war leader would be there to prevent incidents like this one but now that they were outcasts, there was no one to keep them under control.

"Warning, overload detected in primary reactor, auto-repair system destroyed. Estimate one minute until detonation."

_Great! If things weren't bad enough as they were._

"Zekh-Asovash, are you there?" Asath-Yvanu asked.

His usual calm voice had a trickle of anger in it as things were out of control and out of his hands at the moment.

"I'm here! That idiot! I can't believe what he's done."

"I'm ordering you to finish it. Kill him. He has violated the rules and must be punished accordingly. Now end it."

He pondered this for a moment. If he killed him now it would almost certainly mean the end of him too. But with a core meltdown in progress he didn't have any choice at the moment. A frustrated growl left his mouth as he slammed his fist to the side of the cockpit. It had to be done. His radar was still functional and Eniiv-Ulhanow was backing away from the quantum being harassing his ACU. It would disappear soon and after that it was likely to assume that he wouldn't hesitate to kill him.

"Warning, thirty seconds to core meltdown."

An ACU explosion was huge and had a wide radius but with the explosion of his own unit eminent, he still decided to go with the first option.

"All right, here we go."

It was little more than an educated guess but if he was correct he could evade most of the explosion and get out alive, but then again, it was only a guess. Activating overcharge mode he lifted his ACU's right arm and aimed the cannon at his opponent's ACU.

"Warning, ninety percent damage to right arm."

Fighting against the invisible clock, he put every bit of power he still had into the ACU's _Chronotron Cannon_ until the capacitors were at a dangerously high fifty percent over maximum. Registering a target lock he put all of his hopes into this single shot and pulled the trigger. His ACU's right arm exploded, knocking out all systems and showering him with sparks. Shutting down the reactor and switching to emergency backup power cells he watched the tremendously powerful energy blast covering the distance to its target. There was an ultra bright flash and he could still hear Eniiv-Ulhanow's distorted laugh over the com system when the core detonation erased him from existence. The shockwave that followed lifted Zekh-Asovash's ACU from the ground and tossed the giant machine away like a ragdoll. Tanks and bots disintegrated or were blown away in the storm of fire and anything flying was send hurtling to the ground in shattered pieces. Zekh-Asovash didn't know what happened after that as his head made contact with something hard and everything went dark.

The thing that woke him up was probably the com as the sound of a transmission urging to be put through, was the first sound he heard when he opened his eyes. Pressing a hand to his head, he groaned in agony.

"_That's gonna leave a headache"_ he thought, feeling the anger over what happened return together with the pain.

His long slender fingers left a bloody smudge on the screen when he touched a button to answer the com.

"Excellent. You've proven yourself again" Asath Yvanu said.

"That weak-minded fool got what he deserved" he murmured angrily.

It was but a simple fact. The strong will survive and the weak shall perish and so shall it happen to anyone who dared to stand in their way. A groan left his mouth, when he tried to move. His arm felt like it was broken but he couldn't know for sure.

"I'll have you retrieved immediately. A ship is on its way. You do understand that this incident is going to delay our plans."

"As if it is my fault" he grumbled.

"He was a member of your group."

"Shut up!" he snapped.

They had other things to worry about now. With one ACU destroyed and the other damaged beyond repair the delay was inevitable. But maybe his anger came from the fact that he somehow knew that Asath-Yvanu was right. Eniiv-Ulhanow had been a member of his group of elite Commanders. Maybe he just had to eliminate the weak. After all, it was simply a matter of natural selection.


	18. Chapter 15 Ganyu's Secret

**Before you start reading, I know this chapter is actually much too long but I didn't want to split this up because it all fits so nicely together this way. This chapter was also partially inspired by the song 'No One Has to be Alone' by Donny Osmond. youtube /watch?v=RkE9J7twfLA It was used in the end title of The Land Before Time IX - Journey to Big Water. Funny actually since the Land Before Time is also Don Bluth's work. Thank you all for reading.**

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**Ganyu's Secret**

In all that time, each day he spend aboard that ship flying off into the unknown, Ganyu had always wondered how she would react. He had tried to place himself in her position but that turned out to be even harder. Of course she had all the right to be angry, to resent him for not being there for her when she needed him. But now that he was standing face-to-face with the girl, no, the young woman with both his hearts telling him that she was his long lost daughter, his arms were just craving to hold her again. However he resisted against the idea of doing it right now. To her, he was a total stranger but as a father he could feel it in his hearts that she was the sweet little girl he cradled in his arms more than twenty years ago. She had grown up to become a beautiful young Mantrinesse and who would have thought that she would be a true Princess when he returned? It was so hard for him to see that his own daughter didn't even recognize him. Her beak slowly fell open. It was impossible for him to tell what was going through her mind at the moment. Having difficulty looking at her directly he studied his claws like he didn't know he had them. He had always thought she would be furious, that she would start hitting him with her claws and fists but instead, she did the only thing he didn't expect her to do. She just started to laugh. She laughed at him square in the face which seemed to hurt him more than a claw or a fist would have done. It was a laugh without actual joy and it was painful but somehow he knew he deserved it.

"You? My father?" she brought out.

She laughed because she simply didn't know how to react to this sudden change in the whole situation. Thinking he was stalking them and suddenly he started claiming that he was the man she never knew? _Who does this guy think he is? _

"Stith? Maybe you should listen to what he has to say."

The hand she suddenly felt on her shoulder was Kero's and when she looked up to him she knew he was serious. His bright blue eyes pierced in hers, urging her to make the right choice.

"Okay, it's been enough fun for one day" she said, taking her former hostile position.

"Care to elaborate how your obviously sick mind came up with that idea? Is this a joke of some kind? If so, you're not very good at it."

His drooped down ears and sad undertone in his voice didn't change the way she looked at him. A faint sparkle of anger flickered in her copper-colored eyes when she directed her stare at him. _By Kirliya, she looked just like her mother._ He breathed a sigh under her harsh words, knowing that it wasn't her fault but his.

"You don't know how it hurts me to hear you say that" he said sadly.

Stith snorted, unmoved by his words. In fact, her next sentence sounded even more merciless.

"Oh yeah? If you are my father, where were you seventeen years ago? Where were you when my whole world collapsed in on itself?"

Her words were like the iron punches she would have given him if he had been standing closer to her. The few lonely bystanders quickly sped up their pace when they overheard the conversation between them. Here in the middle of the city, on the paved road he was fully open to her attack. With the sun burning on his back he almost died with shame for being such a terrible father.

"I… I…" he stuttered, unable to get a single word over his lips to object to what she just said.

It was nothing but the truth. He had failed as a father and he had let his daughter pay the price.

"Yeah, that's what I thought" she said coldly.

"I can't tell you how sorry I am" he finally pushed out.

He did a step closer to her causing her to back away from him.

"I never wanted to leave you and your mother behind but I am First Officer aboard a science vessel. My Captain was sent on a long-term mission. I didn't know how long it was going to take. I told your mother I would be back as soon as possible but… things just didn't turn out the way they were supposed to."

"Yeah, well in all that time I've come to learn that the universe has its own way of doing things. And it never turns out the way you want it."

"I'm so glad I found you. You and your mother meant everything to me. To find out that she died broke my hearts. But the thought that my daughter was growing up somewhere gave me the hope I needed to continue."

"Stop talking like you know me!" Stith snapped.

For some reason, hearing him talk about her and her mother made her angry. If she and her mother meant so much to him why did he leave his family in the first place?

"I've got enough of this" she grunted, no longer willing to listen to what he had to say.

She made preparations to turn her back on him and walk away like they never had this conversation but she couldn't. Something was withholding her from doing so.

"Do you still want to go and have a drink somewhere?" Kero asked, his eyes still locked on Ganyu.

"There are also a few things still on our list."

There was only one way to be certain. One way to find out if Ganyu was speaking the truth. Fortunately his trust in his mate to make the right decision wasn't misplaced.

"No, I want this sorted out" Stith said, the look in her eyes reflecting her determination.

"Right now."

Ganyu remained silent the entire time on their way back to the palace. Mainly because he didn't feel entirely comfortable with the way things were going. It was almost as if his own daughter didn't want to accept him as her father anymore. The thought alone was too painful to think of. He walked at a small distance behind her and Prince Kero, not wanted to impose himself on them. He had to keep his distance from her for now.

"_She just needs time" _he thought, hoping that he was right.

She needed time to accept him in her life again, as a father and caretaker. But over the years she had proven to everyone that she didn't need a caretaker anymore. She could take excellent care of herself. He wished he could make things better again. That he could start all over and undo everything that happened. But the rock-hard reality was that he couldn't. The only thing he could do was making sure he did not repeat the mistakes he made in the past. Hearing her words in his head over and over again he was overcome by an intense feeling of guilt. _By Kirliya, what have I done? _Following his daughter and her mate, he noticed that she kept throwing quick glances over her shoulder, to make sure he was still there and each time he quickly turned his head away, so that he didn't have to look her in the eyes. She didn't have to worry about him wandering off, he was not going anywhere. The results of a DNA test would speak for themselves. He would never leave his daughter alone again, ever.

By the time they reached the gates, Ganyu could feel himself becoming more nervous with each step. The piercing glance of the guards, their ears flattened and energy lances at the ready almost made him cower. He could feel his tail quiver nervously until Prince Kero assured the guards that it was all right and they let him through, hesitantly. By the distrustful looks on their faces, they were having trouble not to inquire for his identity. With their eyes still trying to penetrate his back, as if they could rip his real intentions out of his body he stepped into the beautifully landscaped gardens sprawling with lush vegetation. The splash of fountains like music in his ears, the sweet smell of flowers caressing his nose. To every father, his daughter was like a Princess but the fact that in his case it was more than just a figure of speech made some of his sadness disappear. _Thank Kirliya that she at least found such a loving and caring mate in him. Prince Kero, who would have figured? _With the soft grass tickling under his feet he followed them to the entrance of the Emperor's house. With the afternoon sun casting its warm shine on the white stone of the beautiful complex, partially build against the hills of the valley surrounding the city, the size of it all was a little difficult to comprehend. Feeling a little anxious to set foot in the house of the Emperor himself he followed at a distance, wondering how he and his wife would react to this sudden development. After all, they had taken care of his daughter the moment she arrived here.

Being but a normal citizen of the Empire with no special privileges whatsoever he had never seen the Imperial palace from the inside. He was overwhelmed by the sheer size of everything. Build out of a marble-like stone, with high ceilings and broad tiled corridors. The palace had been standing here for a very long time but there wasn't a building on the entire planet that was better maintained. The architects who were responsible for the design decades ago had made sure that it would withstand the ravages of time for many eons to come. Many of the great artifacts of their culture and works of art were put up for display here. Colorful carpets showing scenes of legendary battles fought in ancient times, huge solid stone sculptures of warriors in full combat gear, standing at attention or ready to fight an invisible enemy. It was hard to believe that this was also the house where his daughter lived a luxurious life, he never could have given her.

Taking firm steps, Stith was leading the Mantrin who claimed to be her father straight to the small infirmary where the older Orketh doctor named Che'kan kept track of the health of the Imperial family. Determined to find out immediately if anything he said came even close to the truth, she didn't say a word but simply expected Ganyu to do nothing but follow her. She didn't know how he managed to do it but her mind had taken the first steps toward believing what he said was true. But even if he was, he had no right to just show up and pretend that everything was all right. She just couldn't stop being mad at him.

Marching up to the transparent infirmary doors which automatically opened for her, Che'kan displayed his usual warm smile, which disappeared from his face in a sudden when he felt the approaching storm in the form of Stith coming. He was wearing his doctor's coat and was currently busy with a large medical research project where he and doctors and scientists in the entire Empire worked on. Not all Mantrins were warriors and he was the perfect example of that. As soon as his ears picked up the sound of the sickbay doors opening he hopped off his chair behind the console and made a slight bow in front of his Princess. This was not the time to have a nice chat so he just asked her what he could do for her.

"I want you to perform a DNA test" she grumbled, looking around the place instead of directly at him.

"What would you like to test Princess?" Che'kan asked in a friendly manor.

"Him!" she bit back, pointing a clawed finger into the direction of the door through which Ganyu entered at the same moment, followed by her mate who had dropped of the shoulder bag in the mean time.

"Sir" Che'kan said with a slight nod of respect towards the Imperial Guard officer.

"Forgive me for intruding" Ganyu apologized stepping towards the small Orketh.

"You see, I have more than enough reason to believe that Princess Stith is my daughter. We both want to know for certain and if I'm not mistaken, a DNA test is the only way to be absolutely sure."

"Technically speaking you are correct" Che'kan replied.

"The DNA test is still the most reliable in determining if two people are in any way related to each other. You can be certain that the results will be conclusive."

He smiled, turning his attention to a grumpy Stith.

"Isn't that great news Princess? This Mantrin might actually be your father."

Stith snorted derisively, her back turned towards him and Ganyu, lashing her tail back and forth.

"You have to forgive her these days" Che'kan said nonchalantly.

"A pregnancy is not exactly something anyone could get used to."

Starting to make preparations for the test he gathered the equipment he needed.

"I'm afraid she's not the one who needs to be forgiven" Ganyu replied with sigh, allowing himself a wry smile.

"You don't say" Stith murmured, crossing her arms.

"You are pregnant. I can't help myself but feel happy for you. Congratulations."

Wishing he could hold her he stared at her back, waiting until the doctor returned with two empty hyposprays. She didn't even reply.

"I'm gonna need blood samples from both of you. To be absolutely sure I will run two tests simultaneously. May I have your arm?"

Sticking out his muscular arm, after having rolled up the sleeve of his uniform shirt, Ganyu felt the sub-dermal contacts penetrating his skin, the microscopic needles collecting the amount of blood Che'kan needed for a conclusive test. He didn't even feel it as the small transparent tube filled itself with the red fluid of life. He was positive that the exact same blood rushed through the veins of the Mantrinesse he currently shared the room with.

"That would be enough" the doctor said studying the contents of the tube he held in front of his eyes.

Walking over to Stith, she stuck out her arm with a tug, allowing him to do whatever he wanted to do. Filling the other hypo with her blood he thanked her and walked over to the analyzer, an advanced device capable of performing many complex tasks, including but not limited to DNA tests. Turning on the machine, the small console attached to its side lit up, ready for input. Monitors showed the device's status and currently indicated that it was ready.

"This might take a few hours. I'll inform you both as soon as I have the results" Che'kan promised.

Leaving him to do his work, Stith and Kero left the infirmary, followed by Ganyu.

"Shall we first inform my father that we have a guest?" Kero asked his mate, sort of knowing the answer.

"Do what you have to" Stith grumbled.

"The doctor says it's gonna take a few hours. Then I'll know for certain if he's my father or not. If he's not, I'll kill him. If he is, I'll think about it."

She suddenly stood still and turned around to face Ganyu directly.

"Are your ears open? If you are, I'll decide then. If you're not, you're dead and that's all there is to it."

Not waiting for any reply from his side, she headed in the opposite direction, away from the throne hall.

"I'll be in our room. I just… I need a moment alone."

And with those words she went on her way, leaving Kero and Ganyu standing in the walkway. Hearing the sound of her footsteps dying away Kero breathed a sigh and turned his attention to the Sogowan Mantrin who could very well be the father of his mate. Although she had her doubts, or simply didn't want to accept him in her life anymore because of what he did, he was for the most part already convinced that Ganyu was the person he claimed to be. Why would he make this up? What was the thought behind a stunt like that?

"I'm sorry" he said, shaking his head.

"I'm not sure what's wrong with her."

"Don't be" Ganyu replied, looking in the Prince's eyes, which were as blue as the sky on a day like this one.

He could very well understand her for falling in love with him. He seemed like nice a guy, a kind person. Someone who was there for her while he wasn't.

"Forgive me for being such a burden Prince Kero."

"Cut off the 'Prince' part" Kero replied, smiling.

"If there's even the slightest chance that you are the father of my mate, I'm more than willing to take that chance. I am her mate and she deserves nothing but the best."

"As a father, I always wanted what was best for her, as you might understand."

"As a father to be, I think I'll understand soon enough" Kero replied with a mild laugh.

"But I failed" Ganyu admitted, leaning against the wall, feeling the cool stone against his back and top of his tail.

"I failed as a father and because of me she's the one to suffer for it."

He heaved a sigh and looked the Prince who could do little to help at the moment. For moment it looked as if he was going to say something to alleviate some of the pain he felt. But instead he remained silent, reaching between his ears to scratch, not sure what to do.

"She has all the right to hate me" Ganyu muttered under his breath, his ears sagging in a sad gesture.

"I'm sure she will look at you differently if the test results are positive. She has her temper but both her hearts are in the right place."

"Maybe you're right" Ganyu said, hitting the back of his head against the wall until it hurt.

"Maybe I just need to be patient; give her some time."

"I think that's what she needs" Kero replied, his warm voice giving him some hope.

"Shall we go? My father will be eager to meet the Mantrin who could be the father of his daughter-in-law."

"I'm a little nervous to meet him. By Kirliya, the Emperor himself."

Kero chuckled, taking the lead.

"You already met his son. My father can be intimidating but we even had a couple of humans as our guests a little over two weeks ago."

"Humans? Here?" Ganyu replied in disbelief.

Kero couldn't help but notice that the tone in Ganyu's voice had changed. Had he sounded gentle and worried about his daughter just a moment ago, now he actually sounded indignant, maybe even a little outraged. A strange thought came up into his mind. A question he rather didn't want to know the answer to.

"Yeah, is there something wrong with that?" Kero asked, flattening one ear, putting his clawed foot on the first step of the broad stairs leading towards the throne hall.

As fast as his sudden hostile reaction had come, it disappeared. Realizing how that sounded, Ganyu returned to his old self, without leaving a trace of hostility in his voice.

"No, I'm just surprised that humans are allowed to set foot in the Imperial Palace."

"They were our guests. Is that surprising?"

"No, no I just… Never mind" he muttered, avoiding Kero's look.

"Forgive me for saying so" he added, when Kero didn't move at all.

Deciding not to pay too much attention to it for now, Kero continued on his way. There was something about the way he said that he didn't trust. Figuring he just made a slip he put it aside. There was no reason to think in that direction just yet.

Having arrived in the bedroom she shared with Kero, Stith slammed the double wooden door shut with a loud pair of bangs. Perching on the side of the bed she rested her elbows on her thighs and buried her head in her hands. Had the only sound been coming from the twittering of birds outside just a moment ago, the soft sobs of the only person in the room drove those to the background. Her emotions had formed such strange mix of anger, frustration, grief and strangely enough love that she didn't know what else to do. _Why did he have to come back? Why is he doing this to me? _Was she lying to herself? Maybe she didn't want him as her father anymore, more than that she didn't believe what he said. She was angry at him. Angry for leaving her, for becoming an orphan on Solbrecht. Stomping her foot on the tiled floor, she was less than satisfied with the result of that action. Moving backwards on the bed she pulled up her legs against her body and buried her head in her knees. Her shoulders quivered slightly as she started to cry softly.

All Ganyu did was bring back all the memories and the pain from the past. Everything that happened was his fault. But in secret, something she promised herself she would never admit to him, at least not until Che´kan had those test results, she _did_ like the idea of having her father back again. Looking up from her knees, her tears having formed two big wet spots on her pants she decided to quit whining in self-pity. Her mother wouldn't have allowed that and so didn't she. Retrieving the anger she felt towards him, she used it to mask that she had been crying just a moment ago and dried her tears with a furious stroke with the back of her hand. First she was going to await the test results and then would decide what to do. Pushing herself back on her legs, her foot claws scraping of the tiled floor, she walked back to the door, pulling it open and slamming it shut afterwards. Heading back into the direction she came from before, she decided to look up Kero, who had gone to the throne hall to introduce Ganyu to his parents. Figuring he would likely start telling Zahn and The'lah the same thing about being her father only stirred up her anger. It was surging through her body like a poison and she had to keep it from clouding her mind. She was not going to make this so easy for him.

The huge stone doors normally sealing off the entrance to his father's throne hall were open when Kero and Ganyu reached the top of the broad stairs leading to this floor. The large hall, where irreplaceable cultural artifacts were put up for display was where his father received his guests, usually people with either high ranks in the military or his advisors who helped him in case important decisions had to be made. The adjacent balcony offered a view of the beautiful city of Ta'keth a million words wouldn't be able to describe. It was warm today and leaving the doors open allowed a slight breeze to blow through the corridor. No matter how warm it got, Kero seemed to find the palace always pleasantly cool. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly when he felt the coolness of that breeze on his face, the wind carrying the faint smell of the palace gardens with it. It was one of those things that remembered him that he was home.

Reaching the massive tall door opening, the two guards standing on both sides near the entrance fell on one knee to show respect for the Prince and his guest, something Kero never really liked and Ganyu maybe even less. He wasn't used to this kind of attention and experienced it as unnerving. He was standing in the one place he thought he would never set foot in; the Emperor's throne hall. One of Kero's ears flattened to a horizontal position when he noticed that his father wasn't present. Letting his eyes glide through the room, doing a few steps into the direction of the large balcony to see if he could find his parents there he only found out that the place was deserted. _Strange. Where could he be? _The throne of both his mother and father, both standing opposite to the entrance had become artifacts themselves with the passing of time. He couldn't even remember his mother or his father sitting on those things. His father also had a headwear most cultures referred to as a crown. It was a wreath made out of golden leaves that resembled those of the indigenous _Loitaka_ tree and was nowadays only worn on very special occasions. Back in old times, the Emperor was supposed to wear the status symbol most of the time. His father _hated_ that thing and always complained when he had to wear it when it was expected from him.

"Father?" Kero asked, cocking his ears for a response.

Only the twittering of birds answered. Reaching for his back to scratch a particular itchy spot with one claw he turned to face the other Mantrins present in the room except for him and Ganyu.

"Do you have any idea where my father is?"

"Your father is expected to return soon, Prince Kero" one of the guards, a small chestnut-skinned Orketh replied.

The black stripes on his hips reached all the way down to his ankles and his belly, neck and beak were a lighter shade of brown. Resting his energy lance on the ground a spoke without looking at the Prince directly. At the very same moment, Zahn's powerful voice bellowed through the room, making sure that everyone present would know.

"Kero, my son. Who have you brought with you this time?" the Emperor asked rather jovially.

Being a huge Goureg, dressed in his usual white long-sleeved shirt with a few decorations betraying his status he could indeed be very intimidating. But by the tone of his voice and the sharp-toothed smirk on his face, Kero could tell he was in an exceptionally good mood today.

"Hi sweetheart" The'lah said with her lovely warm voice, joining her husband on his side.

"Mom!" Kero murmured, feeling a little embarrassed in front of Ganyu judging by the color of his cheeks and ears.

He knew that he would always be her sweet little Kero no matter what age he was. Ganyu didn't know what else to do but kneel, feeling his hearts beating against the inside of his chest. His ears flattened against the back of his neck and his clawed hands were shaking nervously.

"Your E-Eminence, the Emperor. I-I greet you. May Kirliya enlighten your path" he stammered.

As expected, he immediately became the subject of the conversation.

"Speak to me Commander" Zahn said, having already noticed the insignia on the collar of his uniform shirt.

"If you are my son's guest. You are a guest of me. Stand up."

Doing as he said, Ganyu obeyed. When his eyes made contact with those of the Emperor, a bit of his anxiety disappeared and his heart rate slowly returned to normal.

"Leave!" Zahn commanded, the guards immediately leaving the throne hall.

Obviously eager to meet him the Emperor asked him for his name.

"My name is Ganyu my lord. My reason for being here is because… because I have reason to believe that Princess Stith is my long lost daughter."

Dumbfounded for a moment by the words of this Mantrin, Zahn didn't reply immediately, scratching behind the base of his right ear. Stith rarely told anyone about the details of her past and the one who probably heard the most of it was his oldest son. He snorted softly, not because he was agitated but because he was surprised and also a little confused by this sudden revelation. _Could this actually be true? _The'lah had made up her mind a lot sooner.

"That's wonderful news" she answered for him.

The'lah had always felt the pain inside her daughter-in-law from a distance. Being a mother she could just feel these things.

"We've always treated her as if she were our own daughter from the moment she arrived here."

"I want to thank you both for taking such good care of her. It is something I never could."

He shook his head, fighting a battle with his conscience. Trying to swallow the bitter taste of defeat away he continued.

"I haven't seen her since she was just a Mantry. She was only a few months old when I had to leave her behind and go on that stupid mission. When I finally returned, she was gone. Her mother was presumed dead, which I eventually came to know. It left me devastated. I had almost given up hope of ever finding her again one day."

"That's terrible" The'lah said, sympathizing with the Mantrin in front of her.

Her voice had almost quieted to a whisper.

"Now look what she's become. Who would have figured? My daughter, a Princess."

When he heard the sound of approaching footsteps behind him he abruptly shut his beak. He wasn't surprised that Stith was suddenly standing behind him, her ears lowered, arms crossed and a poisonous look in her eyes.

"Stith, I'm so glad that your father finally found you" The'lah said, smiling weakly.

"Saying it doesn't make it so" she grumbled, forcing her way past the Sogowan Mantrin, deliberately hitting him with a knee on the way.

Leaving them in the throne hall she made her way to the balcony where she stared over the city into the distance. Ganyu didn't give a sound but was obviously hurt, not by the physical pain but by her anger. Until now, she hadn't showed him a single bit of compassion. The idea of just stepping up to her and tell what happened in the past few years of his life came up inside him but was flushed away instantly, when he thought about her possible reaction. He would most likely anger her even more and end up with her claw marks over his face. Zahn and The'lah were just as surprised as they were before. Ganyu claimed to be her father so why all the hatred?

"Maybe… we should leave you alone? So you can sort this out?" Zahn suggested, making preparations to carry out his statement.

"I don't think she wants to" Kero replied, looking over his shoulder towards Stith with a worried look on his face.

"It might be best to leave her alone for some time."

"I'll have a guestroom prepared for your staying" Zahn said.

"Stay as long as you want. If you are Stith's father then my house is your house."

"Thank you, my lord."

"Empress" he said with a slight nod towards The'lah.

"You're welcome" she said, her warm voice giving him the feeling that he was.

Later that day, Stith and Kero had retreated into their bedroom in privacy. This was one of those special moments they shared together, making love as they forgot everything around them. The Prince was lying on top of the large comfortable double bed, his enormous legs spread out to allow some room for those of his mate. Lying on his chest was Stith, listening to his purring as she licked his muscular neck. This was one of those moments she regretted her snarls at him. He was never angry without a good reason, very sweet for a Mantrin and he would never hurt her in any way, nor would he let anything happen to her. She couldn't have wished for more and he knew how to use that to his advantage. She could never stay mad for long with him in the neighborhood.

"You're so hard to resist" Kero breathed, as her hands found that particular soft spot between his nostrils.

"Then don't" she whispered, nuzzling him, caressing the side of his soft beak.

He replied by bringing his muzzle between her ears and playfully nibbling on the tip of the right one.

"Hey, you've never done that before" she said with a giggle, purring softly as he continued.

Returning the affection she felt for him, she laid her head in his neck, biting in a playful manor, making him shudder with delight.

"Did you like that?" he asked, making preparations to do it again.

"Now, it's my turn" she replied, with a friendly growl, grabbing his left ear between her teeth.

Careful not to bite too hard, as a Mantrin's ears were very sensitive, she heard him purr, his breath accelerating as he enjoyed it.

"Your ears are quite large for a Goureg" she said letting go of the left one.

"It's a family trait" he replied, grabbing her middle and pressing her chest against his face.

He couldn't help but notice the faint sweet smell between her breasts.

"I love you so much" he said into her chest, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Oh, oh, be careful Kero" she said worriedly, forcing her hand between him and her womb.

Panting slightly, he let himself fall back into the pillows, staring up at her with hunger for more in his bright blue eyes. His tongue was hanging slightly out of his beak and that childish look on his face was enough to make her giggle like a little girl again.

"We have to be careful for the children. When they are born, we can play rough again okay?"

He nodded quickly, showing her his toothy smile. That hungry look was so hard to resist but she couldn't forget about their children. Rolling off of him to the left side of the bed, she waited for him to move to the right, then snuggled up to him again, resting her head on his chest. Feeling his left hand move upwards to her shoulders, he placed the right one on top of the other. Feeling his massive chest, which would make most men of other races green with envy, rise and fall she could feel his warm breath tickling between her ears.

"You know what's strange?" he suddenly asked.

"Humans have hair growing all over their bodies but to me it doesn't seem like it has any purpose."

"What makes you say that?" she asked, strangely amused by the sudden remark.

"Well, I just thought" he said, shrugging slightly.

"Most of us don't even have any hair."

"You're a weird one sometimes, you know that?"

Her sweet way of saying that made him laugh softly. This was one of those moments which made life worth living. Nothing bothering you, and your loving mate in your arms. But his thoughts gradually began to drift off to Ganyu, who claimed to be Stith's father. He took a deep breath, knowing she wouldn't like what he had to say.

"Why are you so angry at him Stith? Aren't you a little happy that he found you?"

As expected, she reacted a little agitated, letting out a sigh.

"He makes me mad, pretending that everything's all right now" she grumbled.

"I can't believe that he actually might be my father."

"Can't or don't?"

"Are you now being sarcastic?" she asked, her eyes flashing in his direction.

It made him laugh.

"Hey, you don't have to get mad at me. I only want to help you and I also want to help him. I'm not picking sides in the matter. Maybe you have to help each other work this out."

He did have a point. If she never talked to him about it, it would only get worse.

"I- I just don't know" she grunted.

"I was only a few months old maybe. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to find his face in my memories."

That was true. Nothing about his physical appearance was in the least familiar. His brown skin similar to hers, yellowish brown underbelly and not even the golden eyes. He was a complete stranger to her by his looks.

"But there's something about his voice" she continued.

"It sounds vaguely familiar, something fatherly. Maybe he is my dad Kero but that doesn't change that he left me and my mother alone."

"I understand" Kero replied, not pressing the point as he knew this was painful.

"But if the test turns out positive, do you think you can at least talk to him about it?"

"I'll try" she replied, her hand finding its way to the side of his beak.

She gently caressed his cheek as she thought about the true reason for her anger. Maybe when the time was right, she could bring herself to forgive him.

"Father, there's something I need to speak with you about" Rajah said respectfully.

He hadn't been home for some time now and he had decided it was time he did. Strapped to his back was a powerful pulse rifle, a new prototype weapon with a considerable weight but he didn't want to talk to his father about a gun. There were things happening back at the EAF base he was beginning to ask himself if they were ethically justified. He was under strict orders not to tell anyone about it but this was something his father had the right to know about. What they were doing was wrong and because he didn't have the authority to put a stop to it, he turned to his father.

"Tell me my son" Zahn said, after making sure that the throne hall was empty.

He rather didn't want anyone else to know what his son had to say.

"We have successfully captured Galen and two of his children. They're being held in the base at this very moment."

"I'm aware of that Rajah, I've been told by the General himself."

The worried look on his son's scarred face betrayed that there was more than just that. Rajah was concerned about something and it was obviously important enough to come home for. Or maybe he just didn't want his superiors to find out.

"Did he also tell you that they're being mistreated?"

The serious tone in Rajah's voice shocked the Emperor a bit. He felt his draining patience quickly turn into anger when he realized his orders were being ignored.

"I've ordered them not to be harmed. Only when it's necessary!" he growled.

Rajah knew that his father's anger wasn't directed at him. In fact, he was glad to be informed about this.

"They say it's for their own good father but I believe they're just scared to death. The Mantrin they view as their father was being abused in front of their eyes and they… they put these things on their heads. Some sort of headband. I believe they called it a psychic inhibitor, but it's terrible. It causes excruciating pain whenever they try to use their abilities. They say it's for their safety and ours but I think it's just a form of mistreatment."

Zahn growled angrily. His orders were being ignored by his own sub-ordinates. His authority overruled everyone else's and yet they dared to defy it.

"Thanks for bringing this to my attention Rajah."

Tapping his clawed foot on the floor, his claws scraping over the tiles, he crossed his arms and bared his teeth in a low growl.

"This has gone too far. An idea about the rest of the group?"

"One of our search groups have tracked them down, taking refuge with one the local tribes, the Trunali."

His father murmured something indistinct between his teeth. His tail was angrily lashing back and forth and he could see his arm muscles tensing and relaxing under the sleeves of his shirt.

"Thank you Rajah" he eventually said, his eyes flickering with anger, his ears flattening.

"Enough of this. I'll handle it from here."

"Yes father."

With those words, his father left the throne hall and headed for his own private communication center where he stayed in contact with all the important entities in his Empire. Glad he wasn't the one who was going to be lectured at he let out a sigh. One could say from the Emperor whatever he wanted but he was not a cruel person and as his son, he looked up to him very much. Flicking an ear, when it picked up the slight vibrations in the air from approaching footsteps he was pleasantly surprised when Kero entered the throne hall.

"Brother, glad to see you back home" he said cheerfully, waving a hand.

Rajah smirked at his brother's cheerfulness. Was that guy _ever_ in a bad mood?

"Hi Kero" he replied a little stiff, not showing any sign of emotion.

Kero looked back at the black Goureg he called his brother with one ear flattened.

"Something is bothering you" he instantly figured out, just by looking at him, the smile on his face growing wider.

"But I'm nonetheless glad to see you."

Overwhelmed by so much happiness, Rajah couldn't resist smiling.

"Your mood is annoyingly catching, you know that?"

Kero laughed, shaking his head. He'd gotten used to his brother's frequent crankiness and to some point found it more amusing than annoying.

"I'm going to find mom, you coming?"

Shrugging, Rajah followed him, his thoughts elsewhere. He didn't like what happened back there at the base. It was a form of abuse, nothing more, nothing less. But as usual, he couldn't do anything about it on his own. The General handed out the orders and he followed, as any soldier would do. But he was convinced that this was wrong and he was satisfied with his father's decision to get to the bottom of this.

"Wow, something smells nice in here" Kero said, drawing breath through his nose, trying to separate all the different odors from each other.

He began to salivate just by the smell of food in the huge kitchen area where a couple of cooks prepared the food for both the Imperial family and their servants. Even they ate well when they were on duty, getting the best of the best. Five cooks from different races of Mantrin, wearing a cook's uniform and special pants to protect their legs from burns were busy chopping ingredients, preparing and spicing up meat, rolling dough for bread and cooking, baking and roasting. All the ingredients were delivered fresh and kept fresh by a large refrigerator room behind a door to the left. One of the cooks just came back from the cold store with an enormous basket filled with all kinds of ripe, sweet smelling fruit when he spotted the two Princes in his working area.

"Prince Kero. Prince Rajah" he said with a nod, putting the heavy basket down on one of the worktables.

The Sogowan Mantrin made a slight bow and then straightened his back, popping a joint or two in the process.

"Is there something I can help you with?"

Before either Prince could reply they were interrupted by no one less than their mother herself.

"Kero, get out of the kitchen!" she said teasingly, trying to chase them off with a wave of her hand.

As she stepped up to them, she noticed that her youngest son had come home.

"Rajah?" she said, pleasantly surprised.

"Hi mom" he replied looking at his right foot, displaying the innocent smile he only saved for her and her alone.

"You've come home" she said lovely, lightly touching her beak to his.

She added a soft lick, which added a faint blush of red to his cheeks and ears.

"It got time I did" he replied, looking up in her brightly colored eyes.

However, her face twisted a bit when she spotted the huge weapon strapped to his back. She twitched an ear.

"Rajah, put that thing away. You're not on the battlefield, come on."

"All right, all right" he said a little evasive.

"Hey, is that a new model?" Kero asked a little curiously.

"Not entirely" Rajah replied, removing the pulse rifle from his back, showing the latest piece of EAF technology to his brother.

"This is the mark II."

He pointed to the muzzle of the weapon, where a wide second barrel was attached to on the underside.

"It now comes with an attached grenade launcher. It offers a little more precision than just throwing grenades. There are various small upgrades made to the targeting system which allows better cooperation with the eyepiece which is in turn connected to my brain."

"Rajah" The'lah warned him.

"Yes mom" her son replied with a sigh, turning around to leave the kitchen.

She smiled.

"I'll see you two at the dinner table in a few moments. It might take some time to prepare. I'm trying to help the cook into preparing something special for Stith and her father."

"Hmm, you better not use those two words in the same sentence" Kero replied a little dryly.

Rajah flicked an ear.

"Stith's father?" Rajah asked, his voice dripping with amazement.

"Out, out, out, out" The'lah urged, giving their sons just a little push in their backs.

"Your brother will tell you all about it, _outside_ the kitchen. This area is off limits to anyone today."

Having them worked out of the kitchen she closed the doors and wished she had something to barricade them with. Her husband had come in twice already and she was crossing her fingers together that he would try it a third time. Blowing out a sigh she returned to work. Maybe a good meal would make things a little better between Stith and Ganyu.

The'lah couldn't have been more wrong. Later that day, in the early evening when they were having her special dinner, the atmosphere inside the artificially lit dining room was just as tense as the weather outside. The warm muggy weather today had caused a spark in Sogowa's atmosphere and in the sky, that had been a clear blue the entire day, thunder clouds were massing to unleash their electrical fury down upon the inhabitants of Ta'keth. Normally the dining room was the place where everyone told stories about what happened that day but today was different. They spoke little and everyone was mainly concentrating on the contents of their plate. The'lah was the only one observing the current situation with a worried look on her face. Maybe letting Stith sit across her father wasn't such a good idea as it was the perfect arrangement for a conflict between the two of them. She tried to break the tension with a chat about a subject that wasn't sensitive but it was met by some nodding and mumbling at best. She almost began to wish that dinner would be over soon.

Stith didn't pay any attention at all to what was happening around her, attacking the contents of her plate as if she were afraid it got taken away from her. She was starving, mainly because she essentially had to eat for three now and today's event had only made her hunger worse. From the corners of her eyes she noticed that the other members of the Tiraya family were staring at her, likely because of all the exaggerated smacking sounds she made but she didn't care. The only thing that annoyed her however was Ganyu of course. He frequently stopped eating and just stared at her with a certain longing in his golden eyes. She knew what he was thinking. She knew he wanted to hold her in his arms and be the father he never could have been for her until now. Yet she wouldn't let him. Eventually when she was almost done eating she got annoyed with his gaze.

"Don't you ever grow tired of staring at me?" she growled, licking across her lips and cleaning her fingers with the therefore intended cleaning cloth.

Everyone looked up at the sudden conflict unfolding in front of their eyes. The'lah wondered if she should say something to soothe the situation, but she knew it was already spiraling out of control.

"Can't a father even look at his own daughter?" Ganyu replied, without the slightest bit of anger his voice.

His ears had dropped and there was a sad undertone in his voice.

"I'm not your daughter!" Stith exploded, slamming her fists on the table surface, her crystal glass half filled with water, falling over spilling its contents over the table cloth.

Jumping up from her chair she stared back at him, her eyes flashing fire. When she realized what she'd said she settled down a little.

"I'm sorry" she apologized to Kero's family and the Prince himself.

"I- I need some time alone."

Hastily leaving the room, Kero couldn't determine if she was crying. He though he heard a sob but they were all too perplexed to say something.

"Have some more _Isjhui _Ganyu" The'lah said, handing him the bowl containing the native dish made from five different sorts of vegetables and fruit.

"No, no I'm good, thank you" he said, pushing his plate to the middle of the table. In his mind he had already made the decision. He was going to work this out with her, right now. Standing up to leave, he apologized.

"Please excuse me. I think I'll have a word with my daughter now. Please forgive me."

Leaving the Emperor and his family behind, he went after Stith. He was not going to give up on her yet. At least not until she heard his part of the story.

"Go away! Leave me alone!" Stith yelled when she heard someone knock on the door of the bedroom.

She wasn't surprised when Ganyu entered the room, against her wishes and it made her even more furious than she already was. She stood up from the bed, her hands with the claws extended shaking with anger, ready to scratch out his eyes.

"Please Stith, I'm begging you. I know you're upset and you have all the right to be, but could you please listen to my part of the story?"

As she stared back at him, breathing heavily through her nose he could almost _hear_ her brain whir, trying to decide the best course of action.

"Are you really necessary?" she spat.

"It won't change anything."

"Do I have to get on my knees?" he asked, making preparations to do as he said.

"Five minutes" she growled, her tail lashing back and forth as she assumed a less hostile position.

"Thank you. Please listen to me Stith."

"The clock is ticking" she replied through clenched teeth.

"All right. Where should I start?"

He took a deep breath and began to tell her his life's story, beginning from the moment he left home.

"I thought about you and your mother a dozen times each day Stith. As the distance between us grew bigger and bigger the more I longed for the homecoming. You were just a Mantry, four or five months old the last time I saw you, the last time I cradled you in my arms. Your mother tucked you into bed and all I gave you was one last lick. That mission changed everything. Next thing I know, we were at the other end of the galaxy but even with the road home a long one with many dangers I never gave up hope that one day, we would return and I would see my daughter and wife again."

Sorrow had formed a lump in Ganyu's throat. His voice began to scratch and a tear rolled over his cheek when he continued.

"When I returned and found out that the house was sold and you and your mother were gone it broke my hearts. I tried to find you Stith. In the years that followed I tried to find you after I found out that your mother died. Where were you?"

"I was out there" she replied furiously, pointing up at the ceiling.

"Trying to make a living for myself. In all those years I learned that the universe doesn't care whether you live or die. But there's always a matter of choice and I chose to live."

"You're so brave. I'm so glad I finally found you. Now I can be there as a father for you."

"Snap out of it!" she said bluntly, stepping back when he did a step forth.

"I'm no longer the helpless little girl you left alone all those years ago. I have been shaped by my past."

"Tell me Stith, what do you know about me?"

A couple of nasty insults came up inside her mind but before she decided to fling them to Ganyu's head she reconsidered.

"She rarely talked about you" she said, trying to remember all the details.

"She always changed the subject whenever I asked."

"She _did_ blame me" Ganyu whispered, feeling miserable for everything he did.

It was all such a long time ago. He was young, eager to join the crew of a starship and see what's out there. Before Stith could continue, someone knocked on the wooden doors of the room.

"Enter" Stith grunted, not in the mood for more company.

Suddenly both her hearts were pounding in her throat when Che'kan entered, a holoscroll in his clawed hands. He took a deep breath.

"Princess, I'm pleased to inform you that the DNA test results are less than one millionth from the hundred percent accuracy and positive. Stith, Ganyu is your biological father without doubt."

The next thing that followed was the sound of Stith's lower set of knees making contact with the tiled floor. No matter how hard she tried, her legs just refused to heave her body back up. The fact that her real biological father was standing in the same room with her after all those years of thinking she didn't have living family opened up something inside her. Overcome by an intense sorrow, the anger dissolving into nothing, her shoulders began to shake uncontrollably, her ears sagging, the tears streaming down her face. Staring through eyes that were blurred by tears, she noticed her father sinking through his knees in front of her until he was at equal height with his daughter. Feeling his large warm arms enclosing her, she let go of everything and threw it all out.

Tightly hugging her, as she buried her head into his chest, Ganyu felt his daughter's tears soaking his uniform shirt. Outside, the rain started falling, the darkening sky frequently lit by a flash of lightning followed up by the distant rumbling of thunder. Ganyu couldn't hold back the tears welling up in his own eyes anymore and let them go.

"Dad, it really is you" she brought out, her voice muffled by his chest.

"I'm so sorry I didn't wanna believe you."

Ganyu heaved a sigh and swallowed, biting his lip. Trying to do what he could to alleviate her emotional pain he slowly rocked her back and forth whispering softly in her ear.

"No Stith, it's all my fault. I'm the one who's asking you to forgive me. I made a mistake and let you pay the price. What kind of a father does that make me?"

He paused and swallowed again, wiping his eyes on his sleeve.

"You mother meant so much to me Stith, just like you do. I actually cried when I had to leave her behind. I didn't show it to her but when I was convinced that she couldn't see me anymore I cried. But I had to go. We needed the money and by going on that mission it would get me the amount I needed to sustain us for some time. But I'm never going to leave you alone again. I- I'll quit my job so I can stay by your side. I know I can never be the father you wanted me to be but I'd like to give it another shot."

Freeing herself from his arms, she looked in his golden eyes which had nothing but love in them. Love for his daughter.

"You don't have to do that for me dad. I'm in the Imperial Guard too."

"My beautiful daughter" he said proudly, touching his face to her wet cheek. She laughed.

"Sorry I wet your shirt."

Ganyu laughed staring at the front of his uniform. If he had been standing outside for a minute he would have been less wet. She had literally soaked him from top to bottom.

"Well, I deserved it" he laughed, wiping his own tears away.

"I'm sorry for being so mean to you" she said flinging her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

"At least I have you back now" he whispered, firmly rubbing her back.

He had been craving for this moment for so long. After all those years, he was finally holding his long lost daughter in his arms, promising himself that he would never leave her again.


	19. Chapter 16 Separated

**Separated**

When Reyan woke up, not sure about anything but the fact that he was still alive, he instantly noticed two things. The first thing was that if Treji and his squad didn't kill him, the headache would do it for him. And the second thing was that he wet himself, the unmistakable smell of his own urine in his nostrils causing him to feel deeply ashamed. What he didn't remember however was the world being so small, hard and transparent. When he opened his eyes, which were moist with tears he shed while he was unconscious, he was looking at the world -or better said- his own vague reflection in the transparent material of the holding cell that kept him from entering the world on the other side. Lifting his head, that was just killing him at the moment off the floor, wiping a string of saliva from his beak he suddenly felt his stomach turn. The sickening pain in his head caused him to retch and throw the contents of his almost empty stomach on the hard floor. Coughing violently, feeling the vomit searing in his throat, he heaved himself off the floor and crawled backwards away from the place where he had been lying for Kirliya knows how long until his back hit the transparent barrier. Panting, he closed his eyes, trying to hold back the tears he felt coming. Feeling his wet pants, the pain in the back of his head and the painful thought that he failed to help his brothers and sisters out they eventually came and he realized there was no point in holding back. Wrapping his arms around his legs he cried, the Mantrin boy curling up into a tiny ball of misery. _Eyza, Jicko, Shezu, I'm never going to see them again._ For a moment the emotional pain was too great to even notice the pain in his head until it came back to him with a fiery sting. Trying to cover the sore spot, where the soldier's gun met the back of his head he finally felt the circular thing around his skull. Feeling with his hands, he suddenly looked up, tears dripping in his lap.

"_What is this?" _he thought in panic.

His ears were still free, as he could feel but when he turned around to use the transparent wall as a mirror he was shocked by the headband his captors had forced him to wear while he was unconscious. He didn't even notice until now. Trying to pull it off, his efforts were only rewarded by more pain when the band pressed against the wound on his head. Looking at his hands, he noticed that it had bled. There were smudges of half-dried blood on his fingers but it had already healed on its own.

"Help me!" he wailed in agony.

Knowing that it was pointless he started to sob again, the tears continuing to stream down his face.

"Help" he whimpered, burying his face between his legs.

Feeling so helpless, so vulnerable at this moment he didn't know what to do anymore but cry. He wanted to be with his father, his brothers and sisters, the people who loved him. _Why are they doing this to us? What did we do to them to be treated like this? _When he looked up again, trying to determine where he was exactly he saw her, in a holding cell similar to his, at only a small distance. On the hard floor of the transparent cell next to his was Eyza, her body gracelessly sprawled out on the floor, like she was simply tossed inside and her captors didn't care how she ended up. Feeling a sudden stab of anger he completely forgot about himself for a moment and crawled over the floor closer to her. The Sonowan girl was motionless, her eyes facing in the opposite direction. When he looked closely he could see her chest faintly rise and fall.

"_She's still breathing" _he thought, suddenly able to breathe a little easier himself.

"Eyza!" he yelled, ramming his fists against the wall in a futile attempt to wake her up.

Even while he was screaming at the top of his lungs, she didn't react at all, she didn't move, her ears didn't twitch. There was no sign at all that she had heard him. He was even unsure if she _could_ through the walls of these strange cells. Pondering about other ways to reach her in some way he realized that they didn't have them captured for just any reason_. If I can just give her a small mental nudge…_Closing his eyes, he concentrated, trying if he could sense Eyza's presence and reach out to her, letting her know that he was here. But when he reached inside himself, gathering enough energy to do the trick he finally came to realize in an extremely painful way, what the headband was for.

An excruciating pain, the feeling that his brain got cooked inside his skull, enough to drive him mad, pierced through his head. The headband with some kind of build-in inhibitor device sparked as Reyan collapsed to the floor, clamping his head with both arms, moaning, screaming. The pain was so intense he had to retch again, opening his beak to throw up but nothing came. He couldn't think about anything else anymore except the pain. Because of the acoustic abilities of his holding cell, not a single sound escaped the cylinder-shaped walls. However, he couldn't know that the use of his psychic abilities had triggered an alarm that blared through the EAF base, warning his captors that their prisoner was awake. Panting, slowly recovering from the punishment of the torture device around his head, he opened his tear-blurred eyes and couldn't believe what he saw.

As if a tiny fraction of his mental message _did_ come through, Eyza was sitting upright, huddled against the wall in fear of what might happen if she misbehaved. She had her back turned towards him, scanning the environment herself, soundless tears running down her spotted cheeks. Seeing his sister like this, the poor girl not knowing what was happening to her made Reyan angrier than ever before. But in fear of the pain if he tried to use his abilities again, he vented it in the form of shouting, trying to use his powerful legs to kick himself out of this miserable place, but to no avail. The transparent cage didn't even dent under his considerable strength and the only thing he accomplished was an aching foot. Bringing his face closer to the wall, his breath condensing against the barrier, his fists against the surface he tried to reach her in some other way. _Please Eyza, look this way. _Suddenly he detected motion in the corner of his left eye, outside the cell. Apparently that did the trick because whoever entered the brig attracted Eyza's attention as well. Her ears sagged and she first crawled away backwards in fear until she saw her brother sitting in the other cell. Her lips forming his name she crawled closer until she was as close to him as she could get. Reyan's heartbeat accelerated when she closed her eyes to concentrate, trying to find another way to communicate than using sign language.

"No Eyza" Reyan wailed vainly, clawing against the transparent barrier, his claws barely able to scratch the material.

He couldn't stand to look at her, the sweet Sonowan girl overcoming the same fate as his. Clamping her head with both hands, she fell backwards to the floor, crawling, screaming inaudibly, mad with pain.

"Please, don't do this to her" he cried.

The low-pitched voice of a Mantrin, a male, echoed through the cell, the sound much too loud for Reyan's ears at the moment. The sudden pressure of sound only enhanced his headache, making him feel the need to retch again.

"I wouldn't do that too often if I were you. It will kill you eventually" the merciless voice hammered against the boy's eardrums.

Trying to cover up his ears, the pain slightly became less, as he tried to peek through eyes that were narrowed to slits who was speaking to them and torturing them as he did.

"_Who are these people?"_ he thought, fearing that this would be the end.

Outside the cell, in one of the base's science labs they had converted into a brig for the 'children' as Galen called them, General Mithras was observing the behavior of Reyan and Eyza with a vicious smirk on his scarred face. _So this is what he was working on. Two little ten-year olds and half a dozen more in the forest who would be captured soon enough._ Six more of these isolation chambers had been erected in the lab to hold them as soon as they they really had the kind of power Galen spoke of, they would turn the entire base to burning rubble and kill everyone inside if those headbands weren't blocking their powers. The feedback pulse was a nice side-effect implemented by his best scientists. Watching the boy wince in pain, fear or both as he spoke he knew he was on the winning side. They wouldn't be capable of inflicting any harm now.

"Adjust the com volume! I don't want to kill the thing just by talking to it!" he shouted against his sub-ordinates, his bright yellow eyes flashing angrily. He was not known for his patience and those who worked closely with him were always on guard. It kept his men sharp and ready to act at any time in his opinion.

"Yes sir!" the Songri Lieutenant obeyed, tapping a few buttons on a nearby console.

"He's not a thing, he's just a little boy" a Mantrin of the Soneth race coughed.

Being like a father for these children he couldn't stand looking at this torture. He growled in pain when one of the strong Mantrin warriors holding his arms butted his enormous fist into his stomach again, almost causing him to collapse to the floor. He coughed again, saliva mixed with blood dripping from his beak. His left eye had turned black and he had bleeding claw marks on various places. His teared clothes hung in rags around his battered body and his right cheek was swollen because it met a fist in a not so pleasant way. He felt humiliated, his legs tied together with nothing but simple chains, the metal bands chafing his ankles whenever he moved them. His hands were tied together in a similar fashion, his wrists bleeding under the pressure of the sharp metal.

"Silence!" Mithras hissed, baring his teeth.

"If it hadn't been for your private little experiments Galen, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

He laughed maliciously.

"I told you it would be much easier if you cooperated. Your research on psycho-kinetics has been proven very useful in developing our latest toy."

Satisfied, he looked at the transparent cages where the children were writhing in agony on the floor, trying with all their strength to get the bands off their heads.

"Ingenious devices" he muttered under his breath.

"What are they called again?" he asked one of the scientists who were observing the incoming telemetry as the children tried to use their abilities at a minimum level to find out if that had any effect.

"Psychic inhibitors sir. That will prevent them from using their little tricks on us. The stronger their energy, the more powerful the retaliation."

Bringing his wristcom closer to his muzzle, Mithras tried to talk some sense into the boy and his sister. If they continued this way, their brain would be fried completely by the end of the day and he wasn't exactly looking forward to explaining to the Emperor why he had two brain-dead children locked up in a cell.

"You might wanna spare yourself the effort. You can't get them off" he grumbled without the slightest bit of compassion in his voice.

If he were completely honest to himself, he didn't even care. These creatures weren't normal Mantrins anymore. They were a threat to planetary security and must be neutralized, orders of the Emperor himself.

Despite the fact that he didn't like the person the voice belonged to in the least, Reyan still did as instructed. The pain was unbearable and he was afraid of what might happen if he continued trying to free himself from that horrible device on his head. The thing that caused so much pain and suffering. He sniffled and continued to sob softly, holding his head in his hands. Outside, the figure of a large well-build Mantrin glared down his muzzle upon him, surrounded by a few others. His skin was armyish green, his face scarred and he didn't look like a nice person. His voice was low, there was anger in it and he had already decided that he hated him. He was probably responsible for all this and he was going to tell what he thought of him.

"Go away!" he yelled.

"I hate you! I hate all of you! I wish you were all dead!"

"That's not very nice of you to say young boy" the Mantrin replied, his voice suddenly having a touch of tender.

Only a very tiny amount. It cost Mithras the greatest effort to keep up his act of playing the nice guy. He wasn't a nice guy at all and that suited him just fine. But for this to work he had to pretend he was.

"We are only trying to help you and your sister."

Help? Did he say help? If so, he had a funny way of showing it.

"No you don't!" he shouted, scrambling to his feet, slowly moving into the direction of the Mantrin speaking to him through the com system.

Screwing up his courage he did the first steps, wiping off his tears on his sleeve.

"You don't wanna help us! You're only hurting people!"

"Little boy, did I hurt you? Did I touch you and your sister in any way?"

It was silent on the other side for a brief moment. Reyan was thinking it over but he wasn't fooled so easily. Who else could have put these things on their heads?

"No" he replied, much softer than before.

"But I still hate you! You put these things on our heads! You're stupid!"

Mithras let out an exasperated sigh. What little patience he had was draining quickly as he talked to this remarkably smart kid. Galen had really outdone himself this time. According to his research they had the brain of a young child, not much younger than one Sogowan year, in the body of a ten-year old. Their bodies had to be aged in an unnatural way, otherwise their underdeveloped brains couldn't handle the extra stress their abilities put on them. Their artificially aged bodies had to be this way to hold that power but Galen did more than that. They were smarter, stronger and several other enhancements were made to their bodies to allow them to become the ultimate warrior.

"_Now if they didn't have the brain of an 'infant' they could have been more useful to us" _Mithras thought, irritated by this particular fact.

"Do you know why you are here?" he asked.

"No!" the boy replied furiously, turning his back on him.

"I don't want you talking to me anymore! Shut up!"

"Listen to me you insolent little brat!" Mithras exploded, slamming his fist on the transparent barrier, startling the boy who recoiled in fear.

"I talk to you whenever I want and if you don't listen to me right now I'll kill you myself!"

With Reyan's ears sagging, his eyes filling themselves with tears, which began to flow down his cheeks he knew he blew it. The boy would never listen to him now. But maybe there was another way. A way that knocked on the door at that very moment.

"Please General" Galen pleaded.

"I'm begging you. Please let me talk to them. They're scared."

The Mantrin on his left, making preparations to shut him up again in a rather rough way was held back by the voice of his superior at the last moment.

"Wait" Mithras spat, looking at the Soneth Mantrin as if he were something disgusting under the sole of his foot.

"Why should I? It's your fault that they are this way."

"Please let me explain to them why they are here. They're too scared to listen. I'm their father, they'll listen to me."

"You're pathetic" Mithras blurted out together with a snort.

With a tug of his head the two Mantrins holding the scientist and father of eight gifted children released him. His legs felt like they were made out of lead, barely able to hold his weight, wobbling under the pressure put on them.

"Thank you" he panted.

One of the soldiers passed him a wristcom and pushed him roughly in the back with the muzzle of his gun. Step by step, the heavy chains connecting his legs together dragging over the floor, he moved closer to the small space between the two cylindrical prison cells, the place where he could be the closest to both of them. It brought tears to his eyes when they both noticed him and threw themselves against the wall, trying to touch his bleeding hands he put on the barrier through the material. They were both crying and he wished he could hold them, but the General was already snorting impatiently so he knew he had very little time before they would be separated again. Bringing the communicator closer to his beak, he began to speak to both of them.

"Eyza, Reyan, I'm so glad to see you alive."

"Daddy" Eyza said softly, tears running down her cheeks.

"That's right little girl, I'm here."

"Why are they doing this to us daddy?" Reyan sobbed.

His father was injured as he could clearly see. Those wounds, the blood, what did they do to him? He couldn't imagine his father being a bad person, punished for doing bad things. No, it couldn't be like that.

"Please listen to me my children" Galen sighed.

His swollen cheek was preventing him from speaking clearly and it hurt like hell. He tasted blood every time he swallowed or spoke and his breathing was irregular, raggedly as if he were an old man trying to catch his breath after a long walk.

"You must both know that no matter what happens, I love both of you very much and I will always do. I will always love you and your brothers and sisters, even if you can't see me. You must promise me never to lose hope, as one day this planet and our species will need you in order to survive. Can you both promise me that?"

Unsure what else to do they nodded, not breaking eye-contact as they knew that this could be the last time they would ever see their father.

"Get to the point!" Mithras grunted impatiently.

"All right, I'm getting there!" Galen growled back.

Washing the anger off his face, he turned towards his children again.

"You are here because the rest of the planet is afraid of you. You know you are special right?"

More nodding. They were trying to absorb the words at this moment. Trying to hold on to the sound of his soothing voice, so they could hear it again and use the memory for comfort when they were sad or angry or frightened .

"They're going to try and turn you back to normal again. So you can live among other members of our kind and they don't have to be afraid of you anymore. Do you understand?"

"Yes daddy" Reyan replied tearfully.

"But why can't I be with you? I wanna be with you. I wanna get out of here!"

Crying against the wall, he slit down on the ground, falling on his knees. Hearing footsteps behind him, Galen knew he had very little time left.

"Listen to me Eyza! Reyan! Whatever happens, don't let them take away your abilities!"

Feeling strong clawed hands grabbing his arms he kept screaming the air out of his lungs into the wristcom, his voice scratchy with sorrow.

"Fight till your last breath! Don't let them kill you spirit! I will always love you!"

"Daddy no! Please don't hurt him!"

With his children's voices screaming through the wristcom, which dropped to the floor he felt his own warm tears streaming down his face. They had to watch in horror how their father was dragged away by those cruel men, who mistreated him and would never allow them to see him again. Reyan was strong, stubborn and a little cranky sometimes but he had never seen so much misery in the boy's eyes. And Eyza, she was always so silent and yet she was so smart and mentally so strong but he had never heard her scream like that. So much pain, so much sorrow. Before he got dragged away and brought to a cell of his own he looked Mithras in the eyes for one more time, mainly because the General wanted to see him too for the last time before he got rid of him. Galen always believed that there was something good in every person, no matter how cruel he or she might seem. But when he looked into Mithras' eyes he was ready to throw that theory into the nearest trash bin. Cruel, cold, without emotion. One could even say evil.

"How can you do this to them? They're just children, can't you see that?"

When the General merely smirked his anger finally got the better of him. Trying to pull his chained hands free from the iron grip of the soldiers, he tugged his head towards him.

"No wonder everyone hates you" he hissed.

"Filthy bastard."

Spitting in the Porlau's face he realized soon he made a mistake by doing that. Feeling the warm saliva making contact with his skin, Mithras wiped over his right cheek. Staring at the back of his hand for a moment he cleaned it at the remains of what once had been Galen's clothes. Pulling with his upper lip, to reveal his teeth he retracted his right hand. What happened after Mithras' fist made contact with his head Galen didn't know. His only thoughts at that moment were with his children and his only regret was that they had to watch this happen.

"Roll that piece of trash outta here" Mithras barked, his tail lashing in anger.

He snorted, watching his sub-ordinates carrying out his orders, which was now a little more difficult because they had to carry a load of dead weight now. His eyes suddenly found those of the Goureg Prince still standing in the room.

"What are you still doing here?" he grumbled, crossing his massive trunk-sized arms.

Rajah was a bit startled at first. He was a little shocked to see what just happened. He knew the Mantrin who was standing opposite to him was a really tough one and didn't hesitate to bend the rules a little but his unparalleled cruelty even frightened him a little. The Prince was unsure if they were doing the right thing here but informing the General about his opinion, that would undoubtedly be ignored, was about roughly the same as asking him to draw his blaster and pull the trigger.

"Sir I… I wanted to ask for leave. It's been a week or two."

"Do what you have to" Mithras replied almost instantly.

As if he cared about one soldier more or less. To him, all soldiers were the same, no matter whose son they might be.

"Thank you sir" Rajah replied, saluting.

"You know the rules. No talk, to anyone" Mithras called after him, not even checking if he was still there.

"Understood sir" Rajah's voice sounded from the corridor.

The General's eyes were directed at the place where the boy and girl were trying to communicate in some way through the transparent wall.

"_This is proving to get interesting as soon as we've got all eight of them here" _he thought, allowing a smile to creep along his scarred face.

If there were only a way to use their abilities to their own benefit, it would be perfect. Maybe Galen and his research would still come in handy.

A couple dozen kilometers from his exact spot, in the middle of the forest a little girl woke up from her bad dream with start, her hearts racing and the blood pumping in her ears.

"No, no" she panted, seeing everything happening so clearly in front of her again.

Sitting upright, pulling her golden silver-streaked hair, which felt damp with sweat, out of her field of vision she breathed deep in and out, trying not to hyperventilate. What she had seen frightened her, even now that she was awake, especially because it occurred to her now that it was not just a bad dream. When she looked down in her lap, she noticed her clawed hands were still clamping the edge of the blanket she had slept under. Her whole body felt sweaty and sticky, the tiny drops of perspiration running down her legs and the rest of her body, soaking her teared clothes. It made her feel dirty, making her throw the blanket off of her to cool off.

When she finally got over the initial shock, she felt a glimpse of the headache from last night coming back. Her mouth felt dry and her stomach empty. Hunger and thirst quickly began to dominate over the faint pain in her head. Reaching for her warm forehead, she felt a thin film of cold sweat on her skin, the little fringe of hair normally hanging off her forehead sticking to it. Whatever the Shaman, Fri'kaja she remembered her name was, gave her helped her to sleep through the night. As soon as she called the face of the old Mantrinesse to mind, everything that happened last night slowly started to come back to her. Carefully feeling her left arm, Fri'kaja's bandage still tightly wrapped around it, she noticed that the searing pain it had given her first had disappeared for the most part. All that remained was a faint warm glow and the feeling that it was bruised. The strong odor of herbs entered her nostrils as she moved her beak closer to her arm, sniffing lightly. She was surprised that even though these people were considered primitive, their methods were so effective. Trying to consider what to do next, she was startled by the sudden hand on her shoulder, which also made her realize that it was much lighter in the hut than last night, likely because the sun was already up, its warming rays trying to find a way inside through every little crack in the walls and the slits around the curtain covering the entrance.

"Sorry Shezu, I didn't mean to startle you" the soft voice of Reylyn sounded behind her.

Normally she would have felt something like that coming but her mind was still elsewhere. Turning around, she stared into the worried orange eyes of her little sister.

"It's all right Reylyn" she replied, groaning softly.

Stretching her legs a little, she thought she heard a few joints pop. Everything felt so stiff and she was beginning to wonder if that was yet another side effect of being ill. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes with her fists, she yawned loudly and with her beak wide open. Smacking her lips a little she shivered with disgust when the taste of that horrible stuff Fri'kaya gave her last night was still vaguely present in her mouth.

"How do you feel?" Jicko asked, the glitter of his dark blue eyes suddenly showing up beside her.

She now noticed that they were all awake, staring at her, their faces a picture of worries. Growling softly she grabbed her head with both hands, brushing her hair back.

"My teeth need a brush" she replied groggily, trying to swallow the bad taste away, which turned out to be harder than expected with a throat that felt dryer than a desert.

"Other than that?"

She looked back at her brother, realizing she had become the center of the attention.

"You've all heard me scream, did you?" she asked, feeling a bit ashamed by it.

Her dream had felt so real and her psychic abilities had convinced her that it _was_ real.

"_Is this happening at this very moment?" _it flashed through her mind, shocking her.

If that were true, she was lying in a nice warm bed while Eyza and Reyan were being tortured. And she had seen her father too, beaten, injured. They were trying to break him. With her hands balling themselves to fists, the anger surged through her body again, just like it did before when her loved ones were being hurt. Until the voice of Fran took some of it away.

"You were calling Eyza and Reyan's names sister. And you said 'father' too. Did you see our daddy? Is he all right?"

The way he asked that made her afraid to answer. She couldn't look in those innocent bright blue eyes while lying to him and yet she couldn't tell him the truth either. It would break the boy's hearts.

"He is alive" she said hesitantly, her stare directed at the wall of the hut made out of branches and clay.

"I couldn't see it clearly, but they hurt him. By Kirliya, they hurt him."

Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, her fists shaking.

"If I get my hands on them…" she snarled through clenched teeth.

Her anger became so strong again, that her fists sparked lightly, electrical pulses shooting over his hands, her energy being vented in some other way.

"Daddy" Reylyn whimpered.

The Orketh girl began to sob softly, covering her eyes with her hands. Pynch flung an arm around her shoulder and pressed her gently against him, whispering a few soothing words. Jicko crawled on his knees towards his infuriated sister, trying to keep her from exploding with anger.

"Shezu please, you have to calm down" he said grabbing the girl's quivering shoulders, feeling the tensed muscles under her shirt.

"Please, you don't wanna hurt us, do you?"

When her eyes found his, she did, relaxing a little. He sensed so much anger inside her it frightened him. It was locked up inside her like a beast in a cage and he didn't want to find out what happened if the lock broke and that creature of hate was set free. But right now, that was not going to happen. All of a sudden, she started to shake, the tears rolling down her cheeks as she flung her good arm around his neck.

"Shhh" Jicko said, as she cried on his shoulder.

"I don't know what to do anymore Jicko" she weeped.

"I'm so angry. All I wanna do is kill the people who are doing this to us. What did we ever do to them?"

Rubbing her back, careful not to get hit by her long sweeping tail with the fluffy white tip, he pressed her tightly against him. Eventually he felt another body against his when his brother Pynch wrapped his arms around them and laid his head in Shezu's neck, nuzzling through her hair with his beak. Reylyn did the same after a brief moment and it didn't take long before Shezu was comforted on all sides by her brothers and sisters who cared so much for her. It was a strange ritual to see for someone outside their group but their group hug was something they invented at the first day they got to know each other. It was a sign of love and appreciation. However they all sensed the absence of Eyza, Reyan and their father. Three holes that were present no matter what. A void that couldn't be filled up by anyone but they. But it was more than enough to make Shezu's surfaced anger disappear until all that was left, was the sweet girl they knew as their sister.

This strange ritual was witnessed by no one less than Oywelu when the Sogowan Mantrinesse and Chief's mate slit the curtain covering the entrance aside, and let the light of the sun in. She flattened an ear, not knowing what to think of this most unusual custom. Thinking it was just a ritual performed by the city people; she put up her warm voice and smiled.

"Did Kirliya watch well over you tonight?" she asked, her amber-colored eyes, a more rare color among her race, having a friendly twinkle.

As they slowly let go of each other, turning their faces in the direction of the friendly voice, they all smiled, even Shezu. They had no idea what Oywelu just said and therefore established a thin mental connection between their mind and hers, just enough to communicate.

"Did you sleep well?"

She was a little overwhelmed when she suddenly did understand them when they talked to her.

"_How could they have learned to speak our language so fast?" _she thought, flattening an ear.

It simply wasn't possible. They had barely spoken with anyone except her son. Deciding not to pay too much attention to it and merely accepting this convenient development she gestured them to get up. The sun was already way up in the sky and Kenagi was away for some time now. It wouldn't take long before he and his hunting party returned with their prey. Her mate had decided that if they wanted to stay in their tribe and live with them, they had to learn how to be one of them.


	20. Chapter 17 Part of the Tribe

**Part of the Tribe**

The slightly dewed grass tickled under their feet when the small group of children left the hut where the Trunali had let them spend the night in. Pleasantly surprised by the beauty of the forest surrounding the primitive village of these people, Shezu took the time to look around for a moment. Stretching herself out and yawning loudly she noticed that they were the last ones out of bed. Her headache was still present and she was thinking about going past Fri'kaja's hut first but decided to do as Oywelu instructed. Every member of the tribe, except for the very young ones had their own tasks to accomplish for that day. Their task was to observe and to learn from their parents until they were old enough to try it themselves. Of course there was also plenty of time to play but the important things like hunting, cooking, washing and making tools and clothing had to be done first. They lead simple lives but the things that made people unhappy such as wars and poverty just didn't exist here. They all relied on each other and loved each other very much and each new day was just a gift from the First Warrior. As Oywelu guided the children to the center of the village where two out of three fires allowed them to make use of their warmth they immediately had the attention of her people. Some just stared, bewildered by their strange clothing and appearances while others greeted them by winking or using a native greeting. Feeling a little uncomfortable among so many unfamiliar faces, Shezu stared at her feet, just like her brothers and sisters did, nervously whipping her long plumed tail.

"_I'm a little scared. Why are they all staring at us?" _Reylyn's thoughts entered her mind.

"_Because we are probably just as strange to them as they to us" _Jicko replied mentally.

"C'mon, don't be afraid. No one's going to hurt you" Oywelu said, giving them her warm smile when they stalled a little.

She signaled one of the women, a rather large female who was sitting on one of the trunks next to the fire with her two young children. She was a young woman and gave them a toothy smile when she spoke in an almost motherly way to them.

"Hello young ones. I know you are a little afraid right now but don't worry, you're safe with us. No one of us will hurt you in any way."

The children remained silent, overhearing the conversation between the two Mantrinesses.

"Please Jetréycka, would you go with them to the lake? They are not used to our customs yet and don't know that we go out early in the morning to bathe and clean ourselves. Don't worry, I'll watch over your children for you."

"Of course Oywelu" she replied with a smile towards the younglings.

"In the mean time I'm going to see what I can do for them. They have a place to stay for now but there's so much they have to learn. We also have to make new clothes for them too. I don't understand how they can wear those things, especially with this warmth."

Shezu looked down at her shirt and pants and those of her brothers and sisters. They all had tears in them, mainly from being chased through the bushes last night. Hers had bloodstains on them from her injured arm and they smelled too. They were right about them being hot to wear with these temperatures. The high humidity made it impossible for their bodies to properly lose heat, especially with clothes on. The people of the forest were used to wearing clothes very different from what she was used to. The females wore a collection of cloth patches held together by little pieces of string to cover their private parts and breasts. This strange but colorful piece of clothing hung over their left shoulder and appeared very cool to wear, even with this humid warmth here in the forests. The males wore little clothing at all, just enough to cover their private parts and part of their torso and it was worn in the same fashion. Some of them didn't even wear clothes over their upper body. Most of the men however had gone out hunting and the women were covering all the basic tasks, such as foraging, washing and making preparations for the cooking of today's afternoon meal and dinner. As soon as the men returned with the meat, the cleaning of the meat and the cooking could start. Not a single task was more important than the other and this was how it was arranged.

"The poor things" Jetréycka said with sigh.

"How can they do this to them?"

"I don't know what the city people do with their children nowadays" Oywelu replied, shaking her head.

"You must go. Take good care of them, they are a little scared."

"I will."

Rather not wanting to see Oywelu disappear they all did an instinctive step back when Jetréycka approached them. She seemed nice and didn't appear as if she would ever hurt anyone but they didn't know who to trust.

"Don't be afraid" she said, twitching an ear pierced by a little piece of jewelry she made herself.

It didn't take long for her to notice the bandage around Shezu's left arm. She had seen how she was brought in last night by the Chief's son, injured, sick and in danger of dying. The girl was a cross of two races and in their tribe as well as many others that meant being the child of two offenders. If one of her parents had been from their tribe, he or she would have been banished together with the child. It seemed hard but those were the clearly stated rules and those who didn't obey them were punished. Ayi'kutan had decided to help her, which was extremely unusual in his case. Apparently there was something about her but at first sight Jetréycka couldn't quite figure out what.

"Maybe we should let Fri'kaja take a look at your arm first, see how it has healed."

Shezu didn't know if she liked that idea. The old Shaman and healer of the Trunali had done everything in her power to save her but she still frightened her a little. However she let herself be persuaded by the nagging feeling in her head and followed Jetréycka to Fri'kaya's hut. When they reached the entrance, which was half covered by a curtain, they could already hear someone grumbling in annoyance. Apparently something wasn't according to the Shaman's wishes and they would soon enough find out what. Signaling to stay back a little -a wise decision as they heard things flying through the dwelling as well as a loud snort and some stamping- Jetréycka carefully stuck her head around the corner, her tail in a position indicating that she was preparing herself for things to come.

"Fri'kaja?"

"Yes, yes" the voice of the old Mantrinesse replied, followed by a mild curse unknown to the children.

"Come in Jetréycka."

Sliding the curtain aside, Jetréycka signaled the children that it was safe to enter and gestured them to do as Fri'kaja said. Since they were here for her, Shezu entered first, her gaze meeting Fri'kaja's, the edges of the Shaman's beak curving into something that resembled a faint smile.

"Hmph, I was wondering when you'd show up" she murmured.

She was busy preparing more of her herbs with medicinal properties for use in elixirs and ointments but Shezu had her immediate attention from the moment she entered. Her tattooed face twisted a bit as she studied the child. _She seems to be doing remarkably well for someone who was severely ill and possessed by a dark spirit last night. _Twitching one of her ears, the little wooden rings in the lobe ticking musically, she stepped towards the child to feel her head. It felt a little on the warm side but far less than it did last night. The Trunali had trusted on her healing techniques for years but in all that time she had never seen anyone recover that fast. Ayi'kutan was right about this girl. She was special and maybe she wasn't the only one special from the group of children.

"My head still hurts a little but my arm feels a little better already" Shezu said, smiling faintly.

Fri'kaya snorted, lifting Shezu's arm, perhaps a little too rough as she winced slightly and sucked in her breath between her teeth. Pulling her arm from Fri'kaja's grip, she stared back at her indignantly.

"Well don't expect it to disappear overnight" the Shaman grunted.

"I'm surprised that you're strong enough to stand here before me after last night. That stuff I gave you was supposed to help you sleep better but your body needs rest to drive out whatever it is that's making you sick."

It took her moment to realize that she understood what the girl just said, yet she was sure she didn't speak their language. For that moment she was completely taken by her own surprise and didn't know how to react.

"Did you just understand what she said?" she asked Jetréycka.

The other Mantrinesse frowned and reacted a little indignant.

"Hey, I'm not a Shaman but I'm not stupid either."

"That's not what I meant" Fri'kaja replied with a grunt.

Last night they were having trouble communicating with each other and now they were talking as if they never did any different. But the important thing was that they'd overcome the language barrier and were able to communicate at a level understandable to both of them. Not paying too much attention to it, as it was only convenient, she continued.

"Come, let me take a look."

Walking with Fri'kaja over to her wooden worktable, which was basically just a flat piece of wood on legs made from the same material, Shezu studied Fri'kaja's work. It looked primitive to see the Mantrinesse work with nothing but the tiny wonders of nature to heal wounds, to cure illnesses and keep the people of her tribe healthy but before her species discovered technology and moved to cities, they hadn't done any different. Although they were welcome to live with their brothers and sisters in modern society, these people chose to live this way.

"Let me see" Fri'kaja said, her voice much warmer than before.

Her crankiness seemed to have disappeared and she was more careful when grabbing Shezu's arm again to remove her bandage. Careful not to scratch the girl's skin with her long claws, she slowly began to unwrap the piece of cloth covering the wound, releasing the smell of her herbs paste. Putting some pressure on the damaged muscle tissue to keep her arm up, she noticed that the girl bit her teeth a little.

"Does it still hurt?" she asked, before continuing.

"A little" Shezu replied softly, staring back into her copper-colored eyes.

Removing the last layer of bandage, Fri'kaja was more than just surprised. What she saw made her distrust her own eyes. The only visible marks of what had been the infected wound of a _Vexathyr_'s claws were some small brown-reddish scabs surrounded by a slight red discoloration of the skin. It just wasn't possible for an injury that severe to heal in such a short period of time. Fri'kaja's beak slowly fell open, a frown appearing on her forehead, lowering one ear.

"Is there something wrong with our sister?" Reylyn asked a little frightened.

The Orketh girl slowly detached herself from the safety of the group, doing a few timid steps in the direction of her sister and the Shaman.

"My child" Fri'kaja said, blinking a few times, taking a deep breath.

"I've never seen anything like this. My eyes say it's true but I'm still having some trouble believing it."

"Well, it's not fully better. It still hurts a little" Shezu replied, trying to move her arm to a point where it couldn't go any further without hurting her.

"See?" she said, sucking in her breath, her face twisting.

"I'm glad you're doing so well" Fri'kaja replied, a little bit of astonishment still in her voice.

"There were moments where I actually feared for your life but it seems that your body is strong. I always thought that crossbreeds were weak but you are standing here opposite to me, providing the evidence to the contrary."

Shezu stared at her, not knowing what to say. Fri'kaja didn't know about their abilities, the genetic enhancements made to their bodies. The old woman would probably think she was still possessed by a dark spirit if she showed her, her abilities to levitate objects. She would kill her in fear of being killed by the 'evil' inside the little girl if she knew she was penetrating her mind at this very moment, even if only to communicate with each other. _I have to wait for the right moment. Now is not a good time. _

"Thank you again, for saving me."

"I am a healer. That's what I do" Fri'kaja replied, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Take this. It will help against your headache."

Glad that Fri'kaja didn't give her the same strong stuff as last night; Shezu gratefully took the small bottle and brought it to her lips. As expected, it didn't taste good but it was big improvement over the last one.

"Thanks" she replied, wiping her mouth, giving back the bottle.

Fri'kaja smiled faintly, putting the bottle on her worktable. Suddenly she felt the arms of a little girl wrapping themselves around the inside of her right leg. When she looked down she noticed the little chestnut-skinned Orketh, hugging her leg, her eyes flowing over with gratitude.

"Thank you for saving our sister Miss" she said, rubbing her cheek against the Shaman's leg.

"That's okay sweetheart" Fri'kaja replied, lightly rubbing between the girl's ears.

"What's your name?"

"Reylyn" she laughed, purring softly as she enjoyed the touch of Fri'kaja's fingers.

"Nice to meet you Reylyn."

"My name is Fran" a small Goureg boy with bright blue eyes said, smiling.

To see these children, so innocent and so kind filled the hearts of the old Shaman with happiness. Again it remembered her about the time she had children about this age of her own. It didn't take long before she found herself cuddled on all sides by Shezu's brothers and sisters, all thanking her for saving their sister and best friend. It almost brought the tears of happiness to her eyes. Shezu laughed at all the cuddles and wagging tails, remaining at a small distance.

"I think my brothers and sisters like you."

Fri'kaja didn't know what to say. Jetréycka smiled when her gaze met hers, shaking her head. She had always known the Shaman as a cranky old woman but had also known from the beginning that she had a good pair of hearts. She didn't show it too often, as if she were afraid to express herself in front of others but children always did the trick, exposing her and making her show her love for them.

"Come now children" she said with a chuckle, carefully trying to pry them off her legs.

"Jetréycka wants to take you with her to the lake so you can have your bath. We always get up early to go bathing because as the sun starts to go up, we have to do other much more important things. C'mon hurry up."

Letting go of her, staring at her as if she were their mother they laughed.

"Eeww, I think I really need a bath" Reylyn said, smelling her clothes.

"We all do" Pynch laughed, not even daring to smell himself.

"Bye Miss" Reylyn said happily, as they left Fri'kaya's house, following Jetréycka's tail.

Waving her hand faintly, Fri'kaja turned around as soon as the children disappeared between the huts of the village, on their way to their bath. Returning to work, their presence remained in her mind. They had woken something up inside her. That motherly feeling that didn't let itself be put to rest so easily again. Returning to her work she heaved a sigh, secretly looking forward to them visiting her again.

Despite the fact that she was a mother herself and that she loved children, Jetréycka didn't understand why she was getting so annoyed with them. She had been leaning with her back against a tree for Kirliya knows how long, yelling at them that it was time to get out and head back to the village. _The city people clearly don't know anything about raising children. How could a child ever learn the important things if they were so disobedient?_ So far they had done everything except bathing and cleaning themselves. It had already taken her an extremely long time to convince them that nobody, including herself, would watch them put out their clothes and see them naked. They had forced her to stand behind a tree and cover her eyes with her hands so that there was absolutely no way she could see them. Loud splashing and shouting with pleasure had given her the signal to open her eyes and since then she had watched them do nothing but play. The water was clear, the lake their whole tribe used to bathe in, bathing in warm sunlight itself. Those who listened closely could hear the distant rushing sound of the nearest river thundering into the deep. It looked inviting but the rules clearly dictated that the early morning was the time for bathing. Playing after the important tasks were done was more of a children's thing but even the adolescents used the refreshing water more frequently on warm days such as this one, to cool off their bodies and relax a little.

"This is great!" one of the boys, a brown-skinned Talocaan with dark blue eyes laughed, brushing back his wet ears when he surfaced after another dive.

Jicko, she remembered his name was. Holding up his hands against the huge splash of water the small laughing Orketh girl pushed in his direction it quickly turned into another water fight between them all. Acting like they didn't hear Jetréycka calling to them from the shore they continued splashing and diving until they were too tired to continue.

"_Now it's enough"_ Jetréycka thought by herself.

Tapping her clawed three-toed foot on the soft grassy soil, she crossed her arms and snorted. She knew that they had been through some horrible events and therefore she had let them play for a while but the sun was climbing higher and higher and she had more important things to do. It was time to get out and start learning them how things worked in their community. Stepping closer to the waterline as if preparing to drag them out of necessary she tried to get their attention.

"All right, now it's enough. You are clean" she said at a still friendly but powerful tone.

However she hadn't seen the large splash of water coming, hitting her directly in the face, soaking her clothes. She was convinced they didn't do it on purpose, as the shock could clearly be read off their faces and their cheeks and ears were developing a slight red color. The expression on her face appeared angry to them, making them feel more than a little guilty.

"S-Sorry. We didn't do that on purpose" the brown Talocaan boy said, avoiding her stare.

Jetréycka let out a sigh, wiping the water dripping into her eyes off with a swift pair of strokes with the back of her hand.

"Are you angry with us?" the Goureg boy asked sadly.

Suddenly she laughed. She didn't know why but she did, feeling the same joy as Fri'kaya a few moments ago. They were sweet, she had to admit that but sometimes children had to learn things the hard way.

"Come out. You've had enough time playing. I think you're more than clean by now."

"Don't look" one of them said again.

"I won't look" she promised, turning around and covering her eyes with her hands again.

Hearing the soft splashing of the children getting out of the water onto the dry shore, she cocked her ears to listen. It remained painfully silent behind her, enough to convince her that something was wrong.

"Well, don't you have towels or something?" one of them asked on a tone that sounded a little too demanding for her taste.

She heaved a heavy sigh let her arms fall beside her body in a defeated way. Turning around, completely but not deliberately forgetting about the deal she made about not looking, she shrugged, letting her muscular shoulders fall down with the same gesture of defeat.

"I give up" she sighed, a little hopelessness in her voice.

"How do your people bathe?"

"Aaahh! She's looking!" one of the boys, a Sogowan screamed, vainly trying to cover his genital slit with his hands.

They all more or less did the same, screaming, trying to hide their private parts in any way possible. The Orketh girl even grabbed the clothes of one of her brothers lying around in the grass and covered the space between her legs with it. Crawling closer to each other, the tips of their hanging ears, tails and in Shezu's case her hair dripping with water, they stared back at her, very indignant. "You promised not to look!" the black one of the Talocaan boys said.

"I'm sorry but you boys and girls are so…"

"Daddy says it's wrong to break promises" the Orketh girl interrupted her.

"I'm sorry!" Jetréycka finally pushed out, silencing them all.

"Please, how are you used to bathe?" she almost pleaded.

"In a room with a door that can be locked" the crossbreed girl, Shezu was her name, said.

"Well, do you see any rooms with doors around here?"

Six heads shook 'no'.

"Please, there is nothing to be ashamed of. Do you think I haven't seen the underside of my own children? I see them… 'nude' every day. In fact all the women of my tribe see each other nude every time we bathe. Only the males bathe separately. Children bathe with their mother until they've reached a certain age. After that they go with the rest of the group depending on sex."

She did give them something to think about as they were all thinking it over, completely forgetting that they were still naked.

"Okay, but… but it's weird."

Jetréycka sighed again, shaking her head, her ears flapping around lazily.

"It's not weird. It's what you are. It's what we all are. Now put on your clothes so we can go back."

"Do you still have a towel for us?"

If this continued on any longer, they would never get away from here. But Jetréycka made another appeal to her dwindling supply of patience and breathed another sigh.

"It's warm enough. Your body will dry quickly. I bet it's dry already. You have been standing there for so long. Now get your clothes back on."

"Reylyn, that's my shirt!" Jicko complained, finally realizing that it was no longer in the place where he left it and noticed his little sister.

"Sorry" Reylyn replied softly, handing him his clothes, which were now soaked with water.

Jicko let out a soft moan of disappointment, trying to wring out his yellow with blue-striped shirt. Jetréycka looked the other way out of respect while the children got together their clothes and put them on over their wet bodies. She didn't understand why the people of the cities wore these clothes. Those strange pieces of clothing, they pulled over their legs, holding them up around their waist. She couldn't imagine it being comfortable to wear in the least. The shirts she could understand but the clothing of her people was so much more comfortable to wear with this heat. Fortunately Oywelu was already talking to the other Mantrinesses about making new clothes for them. They would love to wear them.

"This feels weird" Fran said, picking on his wet shirt that stuck to his skin in a very unpleasant way.

The others could do nothing but agree with him.

"I don't understand" Jetréycka said, leading the way back to the village.

"Those things you use to cover your legs with. What are they? How do you even get into them? My legs are already starting to tie themselves just by looking at you."

"You just unzip them" one of them replied with a shrug.

It was a little more difficult for a Mantrin to do but the human invention of the zipper had made things so much easier. Some Mantrins still wore pants with old-fashioned buttons but these modern things were relatively easy to put on, even for their species. A long time ago they didn't even know what pants were, just like Jetréycka did not.

"Maybe I should quit trying to understand everything. It gives me a headache" she replied, accompanied by a sigh.

Hearing the laughter that followed, cheered her up a little. Now the important things were next. They had much to learn and this first day would prove to be quite a challenge for them.

Having arrived back at the village, the group of six children was in for quite a surprise, although neither of them knew for sure if they had to like it or feel sad about it. The males had returned from their hunt and had brought their kills with them. Among them was Kenagi, being proud of himself. The young hunter had organized the hunt for this day all by himself and it had been a good one. The hunt was invigorating, a true challenge for those young hunters who had done it only once or twice or not at all. He could clearly remember his first hunt, organized by one of the older more experienced males.

He was lying into the bushes, low to the ground, his breathing slow and controlled, his heartbeat accelerated, the adrenaline rushing through his veins. In front of him had been his prey, grazing, unsuspecting, unaware of its approaching death in the form of the feathered arrow on the tensed string of his bow. He remembered the searing muscles in the arm holding the arrow, waiting to be released at the right moment. And that moment came. The snapping sound of the string losing its tension, the rustling of the feathered arrow cutting through empty air and the short death cry indicating his first real kill. It had been a clean one, the poison-tipped arrow used only for hunting, paralyzing the animal until he could quickly and virtually without pain end its life using his blade. It had been one of the happiest moments of his young life. However he couldn't know that there were people who thought different about killing animals.

Approaching the center of the village, two out of three fires burning, the women all making preparations for the afternoon meal, he spotted the children, which improved his mood even further. He was congratulated by several members of his tribe for such a successful hunt on his way towards them, patting him on the shoulders, nodding respectfully, expressing their admiration. He was almost near them until a girl, only a tad smaller than him blocked his path. She was gorgeous, smiling sweetly and looked at him with hunger in her golden-brownish eyes, hunger for his affection.

"Shiba" he said, stretching out her name.

"Kenagi" she replied, in the same way.

Stepping closer to him, she touched her beak against his, giving him a small lick on his painted cheek. He returned her affection by pulling her against his chest and licking behind her ear, whispering soft words. In the mean time his ears picked up the whispering voices of the children, expressing their thoughts in words.

"Ewww, what's he doing?" one of them asked the others.

"Does he like that girl?"

"I think so."

Kenagi chuckled softly, something Shiba didn't fail to notice.

"What?" she asked laughing, lifting her head off his chest.

"Those kids. They know nothing about our customs" he replied, the tip of his beak against hers.

Gently caressing the edges of her ears, he could hear her purr softly.

"They look kinda sweet to me. You better go see them. I think they're waiting for you."

"Hey, I see you" he said, letting go of her shoulders.

Grabbing his neck to bring his head closer to her beak, she gave him a last lick and went back to the other females to help. Staring after her, the faint sweet taste of her skin still in his mouth, he walked over to the children.

"Hi, how are you doing?" he said, letting himself drop on the last bit of empty space on the right side of the large trunk currently occupied by six little bodies.

Stretching his legs a little, to get the tension out, he put his hands on the wood, his claws scratching the bark off.

"What were you doing with her?" Syndar asked, a hint of something that could be called disgust on his face.

"Well, I love her, what should I do?" he said with a laugh, shrugging.

He took a deep breath and licked his lips to recall the taste of love. Some ears flattened to a horizontal position, making one of his do the same.

"What? Shiba and I are in love. We are to become a mated pair. Don't you ever give each other a lick now and then to show that you love each other? I thought you were brothers and sisters."

"We are but you were licking her at weird spots and you made weird movements with your hands" Pynch replied, trying to mimic what Kenagi just did.

"Well, when two Mantrins love each other, they do that" he said with a shrug.

He smirked.

"Shiba is so… Well its kinda hard to describe but if you love someone that much you are more than just friends. It goes deeper. You want to do everything for her, to make her happy, to see her smile. By Kirliya, I love to see her smile."

Judging by the looks on their faces, they still didn't fully understand. It made him chuckle, his shoulders shaking. Stretching his legs, his foot claws penetrating the layer of grass to turn up the soft soil underneath, he straightened his back, letting go of a sigh.

"You will understand one day, when you get older."

"But I wanna know now" Fran nagged, trying to force it out of him.

"You can't little one. You can't yet, but you will, trust me."

Looking at the small group he suddenly realized that he still hadn't formerly met one of them. The girl with the golden hair, the one he brought to Fri'kaya's hut where the old Shaman had done everything in her power to save her life. And she did, as the girl appeared to be strong and healthy again.

"Hey there, I believe we haven't met yet."

She stood up, something he didn't expect and stood at only a small distance from him. There was something about her, which he instantly noticed. Her eyes were both a different color, which was unusual but Jicko had told him about the amazing powers this girl had. She didn't look that special from the outside but there was something that made him believe what he said. The light of the sun reflecting off her golden slightly curly hair with silvery streaks that grew down to her shoulders almost made it appear to give off light of its own. Her eyes irradiated gratefulness and he didn't know how to react.

"Is it something I said?" he asked, sitting upright.

"Thank you. For saving me. For protecting us."

"That is all right. I did what was…"

His voice trailed off when she suddenly flung an arm around his neck and hugged him. He was a little overwhelmed by it and didn't know what to do but pat her on the back, brushing through the underside of her soft silky hair with his hand.

"Shezu is you name right?" he asked.

He could feel her head moving up and down on his shoulder.

"Well Shezu, I had to. It was as if Kirliya herself gave me a sign. I had to help and I'm glad I did."

"Kenagi!"

When he looked into the direction the voice came from, his mother was standing near one of the fires, her arms crossed, tapping her foot on the ground. Shezu looked up from his shoulder at hearing Oywelu's voice, wiping off a tear and laughing softly.

"Yes mom, I'm coming" Kenagi said, rising to his feet, towering above the girl.

"I know you like children but now is not the time. C'mon, you're supposed to help with the carving."

"Yes that's right" Jetréycka, who came back with her young children, said.

She had decided to watch over the group for at least today and teach them something about her people, their customs and all the things they had to learn to become valued members of the tribe. Her mate was a hunter too and he was already busy with the other males, carving the meat so that the women could clean it, remove the intestines and make it suitable for roasting and of course eating.

"It is nice to meet you Shezu" he said, rubbing between her tufted ears.

"C'mon, we'll show you how it's done in our tribe. I bet you cook your meals a whole lot different than we do."

"Can I have face paintings too?" Fran asked, pointing at the patterns on Kenagi's face and chest, indicating his status as a hunter.

"I don't think that is such a good idea" Kenagi replied, flattening an ear.

"When you're older."

"Why do we always have to get older?" the boy asked in a disappointed way.

"Then you can prove yourself. You have to become a hunter or warrior to wear these."

"Hmm, I wanna try."

"I know, when I'm older" he quickly added, surrendering himself to Kenagi's words.

"Why did you have to kill them?" Reylyn wailed, her face turned away from the prey of the hunters, which they were carving in pieces so that they could roast them above the fire.

She thought they were good people. People who didn't hurt others and were peaceful. But to see all those dead animals and the blood, the smell of the inside of their bodies it became a little too much for her. She was crying in the arms of her older sister, surrounded by her brothers, Kenagi, Jetréycka and Oywelu. The three tribe members didn't know what to say. The young Orketh girl was so affected by the dead animals that she had become scared of them. The others seemed to have a better understanding of the hunt but didn't know what to think of it either. They had obviously never seen their people kill animals.

"Please, we didn't want to scare you" Oywelu tried to comfort her, her amber-colored eyes full of worries.

"This is how we live. We thank Kirliya for providing us with this food, so that we don't have to be hungry."

"But why did you kill them?" Reylyn sobbed.

"I don't understand."

"Have you never eaten meat before?" Jetréycka asked in disbelief.

"Yes, but then it was just a piece on my plate. No animals had to die for it."

"Poor girl" Oywelu said, stepping closer to her, something that made the girl cower in the arms of her sister.

"But where do you think that piece of meat came from? It _must _have been from an animal, otherwise it wouldn't be called meat."

"Really?" Reylyn asked, unsure if she should believe what she said.

She _did_ want to believe them. These people had been nothing but kind to them, but a look on the dead animals, made her shiver again. It looked so brute, so horrible.

"C'mon Reylyn, it might seem like killing to you but these people have to eat too" her brother Jicko said, softly rubbing her shoulder.

"But… maybe they will eat us too."

"My poor child" Oywelu brought out in shock.

"We would never do that to you. We may be meat eaters but we are not cannibals."

"What's a cannibal?" Fran asked.

"That is when people eat the…" Kenagi started, until he felt the silencing hand of his mother on his shoulder.

"Now is not the time to explain that" Oywelu said strictly, squeezing her son's shoulder.

Shezu however knew what it was. And it was better not to tell Reylyn. Instead, she looked the girl in her orange eyes, wiping the tears away with her hand, and touched her cheek.

"Don't cry Reylyn. Just like us, these people have to eat too. And if they want a piece of meat, they have to kill for it first. But that's exactly what our people do as well. Daddy told me that once."

"Daddy" Reylyn whimpered.

"I miss him so much."

"I miss him too. We all miss him. But we will see him back. But about the animals Reylyn. You know what? We just don't look. We pretend like it didn't happen, okay?"

"Hmm-hmm" she murmured hesitantly, nodding.

"C'mon lets go eat. I'm starving" Shezu said, rubbing her empty stomach.

It had been a while ago since they had eaten. They didn't even have breakfast, because they had been sleeping the whole morning.

"Are you all right?" Oywelu asked with her warmest voice.

Reylyn nodded, wiping the last of her tears away with her shirt. Trying not to look at the males, they headed back to their spot on the trunk around the fire, waiting for the feast to begin.

And a true feast it was. The entire tribe had gathered around the fires in the center of the village for the afternoon meal. All the food was available to every member of the tribe and was equally shared among them. Sharing was an important aspect of their community and everyone, including the Chief was equal to every other tribe member. After Jetréycka showed the group of children -sitting close to her as she had more or less promised to take up the role of caretaker for a while- how to thank the First Warrior for having this meal, the eating could start. The eyes of the children began to shine, seeing so much delicious food. Large tree leaves, used as serving trays because of the size, filled with different and colorful fresh vegetables and wild fruit the women of the tribe had been busy gathering during the hunt of the males. The hard work of the hunters, the hunt this time led by the Chief's son really paid off in the form of large chucks of tender and crusty roasted meat from different kinds of wild animals. There was way more than the children could ever eat but nothing would be wasted. Animal fur could be used to make blankets and mattresses for members of the tribe to sleep on. Bones could be used for decoration of huts, pieces of jewelry, or in worked form used as arrowheads and spear tips.

"It is wrong to waste anything gifted by Kirliya. That's why we must eat the food or store it for later" Jetréycka taught them.

"We know mommy" one of her young children said.

The little boy's voice had little bit of a squeak. He was still very young just as his sister was. They were sitting next to their father on Jetréycka's left. She was unsure if the children she was actually talking to even heard her. A quick glance was met by a nod of one of them as they continued eating with a lot of smacking sounds. Even Reylyn seemed to have forgotten that the piece of meat she was putting her teeth into was from the dead animals which had horrified her just a moment ago.

"This is really yummy" Jicko smacked, trying to make sure there wasn't a tiny bit of meat left on his bone.

"I'm glad you like it" Kenagi, who was sitting next to him replied, taking a big bite of a piece himself.

Shiba was sitting next to him on his other side, enjoying the meal as well. She liked the children too and smiled whenever one of them looked at her.

"You should try these as well" Syndar said, biting into the third soft piece of fruit, the size of a good-sized apple, the sweet juice dripping from his beak.

Their father had always put a good meal on the table for them but so many new delicious flavors had made their mouths water before they had the chance to take even a single bite. They wanted to try everything but they were all afraid that they didn't have enough empty stomach to do so. When she was almost full, Reylyn looked up and let her eyes glide over the circle of tribe members. They were all Sogowans, as the Trunali were a Sogowan tribe and they were all different in some way, all wearing different clothing, most of the males with different paintings on their faces and chest and a different physical appearance. With most species, the males were generally larger and stronger than the females but with Mantrins, there was very little difference between both sexes. The females were only marginally smaller but most of them were just as strong and well-build as the males. However it wasn't their physique Reylyn was interested in. She was looking for someone in particular and when she finally saw her it made her feel sad, her ear sagging. It was Fri'kaya, sitting alone, a little segregated from the rest of her tribe. She didn't seem to care but it still touched the young girl in some way. No one should be sitting and eating alone like that. Leaving the food for what it was, licking her fingers she stood up and began to walk in the Shaman's direction.

"Reylyn, where are you going?" Pynch asked.

When his sister didn't reply, he stopped eating, tracing her into the direction of the old woman they had met earlier today. He had an idea of what she was doing without probing her mind and nudged Shezu, sitting on his left. When Reylyn was about two meters away from Fri'kaya, the Shaman finally noticed her. She was obviously not used to company during the meal and shot Reylyn an annoyed look. One that was replaced quickly be a faint smile when she saw who was standing in front of her.

"What?" she grumbled, finishing the piece of fruit and spitting out the hard stone.

She was about to pick another one from the leave but something withheld her. It was likely the sadness on the Orketh girl's face.

"Why are you sitting alone? Does nobody like you?" Reylyn asked sadly.

"I…" she began, looking around her, as if someone could please help her out of this uncomfortable position.

She sighed. Maybe the girl was right. She was always aloof and detached from everyone else. Everyone knew her as the cranky (and maybe slightly crazy) old woman. No one liked to talk to her and they were always hesitant to come to her if they had a medical problem. Not that she cared, or did she?

"Go back to you brothers and sisters" she murmured not unfriendly, without answering the question.

"No, you shouldn't be sitting alone" Reylyn said conceitedly, doing a few more steps until she was almost between Fri'kaya's massive legs.

Before Fri'kaya had the chance to say more, the girl grabbed one of the pieces of fruit from the leaf and sat down next to her, resting her head on the side of Fri'kaya's arm. Fri'kaya shook her head, her earrings ticking against each other. She couldn't make the girl go away and she realized she didn't actually want to. She was aware of her attitude towards everyone but that didn't keep the little girl from feeling sorry for her. For one of those rare times in her life, she enjoyed the company and gently rubbed between the girls ears.

Shezu watched it happen from a distance, feeling something warm inside her. No matter what her people might think, in secret the old Shaman carried a warm pair of hearts for children and Reylyn was making those hearts beat faster at this very moment.

"She is such a sweet girl" Shezu said with a smile.

"Yeah and you are too" Pynch said, placing his head on her shoulder, licking her cheek.

"Pynch" Shezu laughed, not knowing why he did that so suddenly.

"What? Can't I love my own sister?" the Talocaan boy replied with amusement in his indigo-colored eyes.

This was one of those moments when they almost forgot why they were here. Because out there, there were bad people. Bad people who had imprisoned their father and Eyza and Reyan and were about to do the same to them. Almost, but in the mean time Shezu was forcing her mind to try and come up with a plan. A plan to get them free, so that they could be together and form a happy family again, just like before. She had to. She owed that to her brothers and sisters. She had promised it to them and to herself.

"Boy, I don't think my belly can hold any more food" Fran said a few moments later, placing his hand on his full stomach, laughing.

"I think I've never eaten that much before" Syndar replied, laughing too.

Just like Jetréycka said before, nothing was wasted. What remained of the food, which was still a lot, would be saved for later. There was another meal in the evening, when the sun goes down and then they would eat again. The children had eaten the most in proportion to the rest but that was because they had skipped the quick breakfast the rest of the tribe had and the last meal they had was yesterday. When everyone was done eating -and the rest of the tribe waited respectfully until that time had come- Ayi'kutan stood up from his trunk to close to meal. Putting his staff on the ground, making sure his feathered crown was sitting straight between his ears he spoke with a deep low voice.

"We thank Kirliya again for providing us with this abundant meal. May it give us strength and may she guide us through the rest of our lives in peace."

After the rest of the tribe including the children was done repeating his words he directed his attention to his special young guests.

"A little attention please. Today we have the honor to share this meal with our young guests."

The large muscular male and as they knew, Kenagi's father stepped closer to the children directed his eyes at each child individually. Shezu felt that his look rested a little bit longer on her in particular and she could easily guess the reason. But that didn't stop her from looking back, unfazed by it.

"Let's give them a hearty welcome in our family."

His words were accompanied by cheering and whooping by some members, mostly the younger ones. Most of them gave them a warm smile and waved or laughed in a friendly way. This whole community was essentially one big happy family and the children all began to feel slightly more at home.

"There is one thing however" Ayi'kutan continued.

"In our family, every member is equal and I expect you to behave as an equal and try the best you can to contribute to our family."

He smiled, his voice getting softer.

"You have much to learn but I'm confident that you will become valued members real soon."

There was something about his voice convincing Shezu that Oywelu had talked to him about them, especially her as he kept throwing glances in her direction more often. She knew it had something to do with her descent, Jicko told her that. She felt a slight anger towards Kenagi's father about that. What did her being part Fjetahna, part Sogowan have to do with who she was? Didn't he like her because she was a mix of two races? She couldn't believe that there were people who thought about Mantrins like her that way. Just like them she was just another being of flesh and blood. What does being the child of two races have to do with it? Fjetahna and Sogowan were both the same species. For now she decided to put it out of her mind. She had been treated as an equal, just like Ayi'kutan said and she didn't want to start an argument with him already. Only if she got the feeling that she was being treated unfairly she would. This was now her family and she and her brothers and sisters would do anything for these people, who lived peaceful lives and cared for them, like they were their own children.


	21. Chapter 18 Jicko's Fear

**Jicko's Fear**

When Shezu's back finally made contact with the soft mattress of her bed in the hut given to them by the Trunali to sleep in she had no desire to get up again. Letting the air run out of her lungs, she just laid there for a moment, not even bothering to pull her hair out of her face. She was tired, more than usual after a long day and she wasn't the only one. It didn't matter if she had her eyes open or not; with the curtain closed, it was too dark inside the hut to see anything. Their enhanced vision allowed them to see something, albeit the vague silhouettes representing her brothers and sisters but she was too tired to even try. She couldn't even cobble up the strength to lift her tail and use it to express her annoyance over the sore feeling in her muscles. Jetréycka had really pushed them to their limits and it was as if the young Mantrinesse and mother of two children had tried to teach them everything she taught her own children in just one day. Washing, cooking, preparing the food for the evening meal they just had and much more. She had even taught them how the Trunali made their clothes and let them try for themselves, without much success however. They had all been sucking their bleeding fingers after that exercise. The needle, which was basically a worked bone splinter, somehow liked their flesh better than the patches of cloth it was supposed to go through.

"_Once, but never again" _Shezu thought, letting her breath escape through her nostrils with a snort.

Something tickled and made her sneeze, her muscles aching because of the sudden strain put on them. She had to admit however, she rather had the sore muscles instead of the headache that, fortunately, had stayed away so far. "This is no fun" Syndar complained, his head buried in his pillow. At least he still had the strength to hit the mattress with his fist. They were exhausted and Shezu feared that next day wouldn't be any different. And this time, it was getting up before the sun does and get to the lake early to take a quick bath. Not like yesterday. Jetréycka wouldn't like that and this time she was in the water with them and would drag them out by their tails if necessary.

"I'm tired" Fran said softly, unable to raise his voice above so much as a whisper.

It was almost silent inside the hut for a moment. The only sounds were the respiration of the children and the chirping insects outside. There were some indistinct voices in the distance from the hunters sitting around the fire but the children were too tired to try and listen to what they said. It was already difficult for them to keep their eyes open let alone to concentrate. After a moment Jicko finally said something, expressing his concern over a particular subject. He had been a little hesitant to throw it into the group but it was too important to keep it to himself.

"Hey guys, there is something I want to talk about" he said, rolling on his belly, resting his head on his arms.

"Are you still awake?"

His ears were able to filter out five different grumbles, growls or other sounds telling him that they were.

"I am a little afraid" he said with more than a hint of concern in his voice.

"Remember when Kenagi rescued us from those soldiers?"

He heard them making sounds that all sounded more or less like a 'hmm-hmm'.

"Well, I sensed something about them when they left. I sensed a great anger and great determination. I'm afraid that they will come back for us."

It remained painfully silent for a moment. They had all gotten the message, that was for sure but they were afraid that it was very much a possibility they had to consider. They were soldiers; they wouldn't give up so easily, especially since they were only children.

"Well, am I the only one?" Jicko asked when he didn't get a reply after some time.

To his astonishment, it was Reylyn who replied first.

"Well, if they come we will knock them on their heads with stones so that they are unconscious and then we will force them to take us to our daddy and Reyan and Eyza and then he will get us all out of there. And then we can go back to being a family again."

Pynch made a sound that resembled a laugh.

"Reylyn, how can you force them to take us to daddy if they are unconscious?"

"Oh" his sister said, seeing the logic in that.

"Then we will take it from their minds. I'm sure Kenagi will help us."

"No" Shezu finally meddled in the matter.

"If they come we have to go. We cannot let these good people get involved. I'm afraid they will get hurt trying to protect us. We can't let that happen."

They all listened carefully to Shezu's words, slowly realizing that she was right. They couldn't let something happen to the members of Kenagi's tribe. He was their friend. He trusted them and they trusted him.

"You're right, I guess" Reylyn said, surrendering, dropping her head down on her pillow.

"But where do we go?" Syndar asked, afraid that they had to go back into the forest again, without protection, without a warm bed, all alone in the cold dark night.

"I guess we just have to find another place to stay" Shezu replied with sigh, not wanting to think about it now.

She was afraid that if they'd come this night, she wouldn't even be able to stand up and run.

"I'm sorry. It's all my fault" she said with something Jicko recognized as a sob.

"In what way?" he asked, feeling sorry for his sister.

She tried so hard and now she was blaming herself for everything that went wrong. Reclaiming the energy he needed to get up he got on his knees, grabbed his pillow and crawled towards his sister.

"It's not your fault Shezu" he said, hovering above her, touching his hand to her cheek, feeling the wet trail left by a tear.

"It is" she replied sobbing.

"If I didn't get sick, we could have gotten out of there on our own. We could have run all at once, instead of leaving Eyza and Reyan behind. And they took them. And because of me they are in pain."

She was softly crying now, inconsolable, her words interrupted by sobs. Placing his pillow next to hers on the ground, he felt her making a little room for him. Whispering a few soothing words, wiping her tears away with his hand he snuggled up to her, resting his head on her shoulder. With her brother lying next to her, comforting her with his presence, it didn't take long before she and the rest of the group fell asleep.

The next morning, everything happened entirely different from the last time. Jetréycka was a very strict teacher and expected them to learn fast or 'die' so to speak. She had taken them to the lake early in the morning, when the first rays of the sun just peeked over the horizon to bathe with the rest of the females. She didn't tolerate them complaining about being naked in front of the rest of her tribe again and each time one of them opened his or her beak to do so was met by a warning look. This time they were only in the water to do the essential things, cleaning their bodies and in Shezu's case wash her hair.

"This is no play time. When you're done with your tasks for today, then you can play" she had said.

Despite being a bit strict, she was in no way unfriendly and still used her warmest voice. The children noticed that Jetréycka wasn't the only Mantrinesse in the tribe with children. Hers were very young but there were several others, their age ranging from no older than four or five to just around their age. Maybe they could even play with them, if Jetréycka allowed it, at the end of the day.

When they returned to the village it was time for everything they had missed yesterday. Part of the Mantrinesses had gone to the forest to start gathering fruit and vegetables while the others began to build the fires needed for cooking. Most of the males were preparing themselves for another exciting hunt and Kenagi was among them again, strapping his bow to his back and making sure there were enough arrows in his quiver. He greeted the children with a smile and winked.

"Hey, is everything all right?" he asked, spotting their not so happy faces.

"Oh, I see. Jetréycka is really pushing you hard isn't she?"

All six of them nodded. They were up for quite a challenge but he was confident, just like his father that they could do it.

"Are you going out hunting again?" Jicko asked curiously.

"I really wish I could see how you do it."

"How can you say that?" Reylyn replied indignantly, pushing her brother against his shoulder.

"It involves killing those innocent animals."

"Whoa, I thought you were over that" Jicko replied, a little shocked by his sister's reply.

"Maybe" Reylyn replied with a snort.

"But that doesn't mean I wanna see how they do it. That's horrible."

"I just wanna learn."

"When you're older" Kenagi said determinately.

From the look on his face and the tone of his voice, there was no way he was going to let any one of them go with him.

"The forest is filled with many dangers. There are animals that could seriously injure or kill one of you if they attack. Please, I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I understand" Jicko replied, a bit disappointed.

"Are only males allowed to hunt?" Pynch asked.

"Who are you calling male, little boy?" a really tough female, who had overheard the conversation grunted, stepping in front of the children.

She actually looked a bit frightening with those paintings on her angry face. Pynch recognized the female hunter as the Mantrinesse who had joined Kenagi in his stand against the soldiers that night. She didn't appear to be very friendly and the way she glared down her muzzle at them, with her large well-built arms crossed made them do a step back. Somehow, it seemed as if she was expecting a reply as she stood there, her foot claws ploughing into the soft grass, lashing her tail. She had her bow strapped to her back just like Kenagi and was ready to put her skills as a hunter to the test again.

"Don't listen to Arojah" Kenagi said, throwing a glance in her direction.

"She's always this cranky but she won't hurt you."

"Hmph, don't be so sure of that" the female hunter growled, turning around to join the other hunters.

"Arojah is actually one of our best" Kenagi said, staring at her back.

"Not so long ago, only the males used to hunt indeed but there have been some changes" he explained.

"If a female can prove herself in front of the rest and convince them that she's good enough to become a hunter she's allowed to organize her first hunt. If she succeeds and the hunt is a success, she will become a hunter apprentice just like any other hunter."

"Sounds like an intense training" Jicko replied, intrigued by Kenagi's words.

It looked appealing to him in some way. He could understand why he was excited about it. Kenagi nodded.

"I am still an apprentice too. My hunt from yesterday was a success. That was my fourth time. Only one more time and then I become a true hunter and a respected member of the group."

One of the older males gave a signal, indicating that they were about to begin.

"Well, gotta go" Kenagi said enthusiastically, tensing and relaxing the strong muscles in his arms.

"Good luck Kenagi" Jicko said, waving his hand as the young hunter joined the others.

"To a good hunt" Kenagi replied, raising a thumb before he disappeared into the dense forest surrounding the village.

Immediately after that the voice of Jetréycka sounded behind them, signaling that it was time to begin their 'lessons'. However they were a bit surprised by the mysterious smile playing on her lips when she signaled them to come.

"What is it Jetréycka?" Fran asked.

"I've got something for you" she said quietly, guiding them to the hut she shared with her mate and two young children.

"I hope you like it. I and several other Mantrinesses have worked hard yesterday and part of the night to finish them."

Sliding the curtain aside, she entered first. Jetréycka's hut was beautifully decorated, the inside as well as the outside. It was a bit dark but it didn't take long for them to notice what she was talking about. Clothes, in the same style as her people wore during the day, one set for each child hung on a piece of string attached to the walls of the dwelling. They were all different but made from the same colorful patches of cloth. Jetréycka was actually a bit proud of the hard work she had put in them with the other females and she hoped the children would like them. Their enthusiastic first reaction made her smile, glad that they seemed to like it.

"Which one is mine?" was the first question asked and she hadn't really thought about that.

They had made the clothes more or less based on the race of each child, which would give some indication of their size. Reylyn and Fran were a bit smaller than the rest, although the Goureg boy would be a lot bigger than his sister when he reached his full height. For the rest, there were only minor differences between the children. Jicko and Pynch were both Talocaan and Shezu and Syndar were also about roughly the same size. When they began to realize the minor differences between the clothes, the children began to switch until they each had a favorite.

"It doesn't really matter" Jetréycka said.

"But these two are indeed for you" she said to Fran and Reylyn, pointing at the two smaller ones on the left.

"Okay" Reylyn laughed, liking the colors on hers.

For a moment they were standing there, almost motionless, until they turned around. Jetréycka knew what it meant before they had the chance to open their mouth.

"Okay, I know what that means" she said leaving her hut.

"But hurry up a little. There's much to do."

Closing the curtain, standing guard in front of her hut she let them change clothes.

"How do you put this on?" it sounded from inside after a few moments.

"You don't want me to see you naked, so I'm not going to help you" she quipped, without even looking over her shoulder.

It was quite simple actually. The collection of cloth patches was simply draped over all the parts of the body that needed to be covered and hung over the left shoulder. Their wasn't even a single button, stud or 'zipper' as they called them.

"Please Jetréycka?" one of them asked with the sweetest possible voice.

She let out a sigh and reentered her hut to find them covering the space between their legs with their pants. They were really ashamed to appear naked in front of anyone. She shook her head but decided not to bring up that particular subject again.

"All right. I'll show it to you one time and one time only. After that, I expect you to do by yourself from now on."

"Do it with me" Syndar nagged.

"No no, just pay attention."

Without warning, Jetréycka began to undress, unwrapping her clothes until she was standing in front of them, her whole body exposed. She frowned, letting go of another sigh.

"If you don't look you still don't know how to do it" she grumbled, tapping her foot on the ground.

"But, but…"

"Here I go" she simply said, forcing them to look if they didn't want to run around naked for the rest of their lives.

"You start with your left shoulder…" she said, throwing one end of the wrapping over her shoulder.

"Then you move down, between your legs, around your left leg…"

"The other one…"

She did it very slowly and she watched as the children began to follow her instructions as soon as her genital slit was covered.

"Around your waist…"

She did that twice, the second time folding the cloth under the other to tighten it a bit. It couldn't suddenly slip off that way.

"And then you finish…" she said throwing the last end over her left shoulder, so that it covered her breasts.

A few seconds later the children finished as well. So far they did an adequate job. She helped some of them to get it more comfortable but they needed little correction.

"Well, that wasn't so hard was it?"

"Uh-huh" they all murmured shaking no.

"It feels a bit weird" Fran said, walking a few steps.

It was remarkable how well these things stayed put. He didn't have the feeling that they could slip off or something like that.

"You'll get used to that" Jetréycka said, collecting the children's dirty clothes.

"Let's go" she urged, walking out of the hut with the shirts and pants in her arms.

"What are you going to do with that?" Shezu asked when Jetréycka walked towards the center of the village.

"Burn them. They are dirty and torn and you have new clothes now. Clothes that are much more comfortable to wear. You can't wear these anymore."

"No! You can't do that!" Shezu yelled, trying to stop her.

"Why not?" Jetréycka replied, not really listening to her.

"Please give them back."

"Sorry but Ayi'kutan says that if you wanna be part of us, you have to dress like us."

"No! Give them back now!" Shezu yelled, stomping one of her feet.

"Listen little girl" Jetréycka said harshly, a trickle of anger slipping into her voice.

"When I say…"

Her voice trailed off when she turned around and looked directly into the girl's eyes. They flashed with an intense anger and she growled and bared her teeth at her. It actually frightened her a little. That intense stare, the hostile response, it felt different. It was as if Shezu was no longer the sweet girl she was just a few moments ago but an entirely different person. She was very angry and Jetréycka didn't dare to do one step closer to the fires behind her.

"Those clothes were given to me by my father. Those are the last things I still have from him."

She calmed down a little, now that she had Jetréycka listening but she was still angry. She didn't care that the other Mantrinesses around the fire were staring at her.

"I… I'm sorry" Jetréycka brought out, not sure what to say.

"I didn't know."

Shezu was a bit shocked by her own outburst, as she was now staring at her feet.

"I'm… sorry" she muttered under her breath.

Looking behind her, she saw that she had frightened her brothers and sisters as well. They were staring at her, as if they had just seen their sister turn into a monster and back again. They had seen a whole different side of her. That scary side that only showed itself when she got real angry. She was almost about to cry in shock until Jetréycka did another proposal.

"Please, then at least let me wash them for you and put them some place safe."

Shezu nodded, feeling ashamed.

"_Why?" _she thought.

She didn't like that other side of her either but it surfaced so quickly lately. It was there, deep inside her and when it came out it threatened to overwhelm her.

"You know what? I'll show you how we wash our clothes and then you can wash them yourselves. How does that sound?"

"That's a good idea" Reylyn said happily, joining Jetréycka.

The others did as well but Shezu was the last to follow. She knew it. They were afraid of her when she was like that. Right now, she wished she could just become invisible for the rest of the day. She didn't want others to see her like that but she had such trouble controlling her anger lately. The thought of her father and Eyza and Reyan was part of the cause. It was that dream that made it all worse. She didn't know if that dream was the past, the present or the near future. Either one of them would be bad because there was nothing she could do for now. She could only wait and hope that an opportunity presented itself.

"C'mon throw it to me!" Reylyn yelled, waving her hands, just managing to keep her head above water level.

After a long day of learning from Jetréycka, washing, cooking and making things like clothes, blankets and pillows but also tools and other useful things, the children thought it would never end. Their father had always told them that they were clever and learned so quickly but even their brains could reach an overload. But, as promised and after they finished their tasks for that day, they were allowed to play with the other children. The lake they used for bathing was an excellent playground and the water helped to keep their bodies cool a bit during their rough game of _Kaloti_, a native game invented by the children of the _Trunali_ which was basically a form of water polo but without many actual rules. As long as it didn't involve the use of claws or pulling ears or tails to gain the upper hand over the opposing team it was allowed.

All the children were divided over two teams with six players each. Shezu, Reylyn and Syndar were in one team and Pynch, Jicko and Fran in the other. The other players in their teams were the children of the tribe members which were very happy that they had a few extra friends to play with. The goal of the game was simple. Each team had one player defending part of the shore. The other team had to get a small ball, made from a piece of hollowed-out fruit which was sealed so that it would float, into a circle marked by rope. There was no rule that said how to get the ball into the circle but the one player defending it should prevent that from happening at all costs as it would get the other team a point. At this very moment Shezu's team was one point ahead of the other but not for long as one of the other children, a boy named Yshtari lost the ball to Pynch who began swimming into the direction of her goal as fast as he could, with Reylyn and a girl named Wojé on his tail.

"Come and get me" the black Talocaan boy shouted with joy.

A little too early perhaps as his crossbreed sister blocked his path and forced him to toss the ball to one of his teammates. His aim however was a little off, but as Shezu noticed he did something a little unfair to the other children. By mentally giving it just the nudge it needed, it landed right into the hands of his teammate.

"Hey! You're using powers! That's no fair!" Shezu said, pulling her wet hair out of her face.

"Penalty for Pynch!" Reylyn yelled, pointing at her brother and sticking out her tongue.

"Why? He didn't do anything wrong" Wojé said.

For a moment Reylyn forgot that the Sogowan girl couldn't detect the use of their powers and was about to tell her their secret but fortunately Shezu was a little earlier and corrected the mistake before it was even made.

"Sorry, my mistake. Go on."

The game continued but it remained a neck-and-neck race. At the beginning it were mostly the tribe children scoring the points but they quickly got the hang of it and it didn't take long before they were able to match them. So caught up in their game, the excitement keeping her mind occupied, Shezu and her mentally gifted brothers and sisters sensed the danger too late. The scream for help snapped their attention out of the game and onto the approaching beast, they knew all too well. Four eyes, massive teeth and claws and a strong muscular body coated by a fine brown fur. This _Vexatyr _was smaller than the one they encountered but the large predator was still no match for any of them. For a brief moment Shezu was just as paralyzed as the poor girl defending their goal. Zebi was young and small for a girl her age and was almost about to lose consciousness, making her the easiest prey possible for that beast. Her breath came raggedly, silent tears running down her cheeks as she knew it could all be over soon. She had fallen on her bottom and had wanted to crawl backwards away from the animal but was nailed to her spot, too scared to move. The _Vexathyr_ was preparing its attack, its head low to the ground, scraping its claws on the soil, growling.

"_I can't let this happen"_ it flashed through Shezu's mind.

She was scared too. Her last encounter with one of these monsters nearly got her killed, despite her abilities and she wanted to avoid another encounter at all costs. But if she did nothing, that poor girl would be eaten alive in front of her eyes. She was caught between the devil and the deep sea. If she did nothing, Zebi would be killed while she could have prevented it. But if she did, then they would find out about her powers, with the possibility of turning the tribe against her and her brothers and sisters. She closed her eyes, begging for a solution from Kirliya herself. It didn't matter. She had to decide all by herself, but deep in her hearts, she had already chosen. Before it was too late, she jumped out of the water, ran towards Zebi and positioned herself between the _Vexathyr_ and its prey.

"No Shezu!" Jicko yelled, the panic in his voice.

The animal growled, blinking its two pairs of eyes, switching targets. Shezu tried to swallow her fear and tossed a look over her shoulder. She was secretly glad that she had kept her new clothes on, because they still didn't want to be seen naked in front of others. They were dripping with water but at least she didn't have to face this creature completely nude.

"Please go" she said to the naked girl, who was crying softly.

"I'll protect you."

"But what about you? You'll be killed" Zebi sobbed, standing up, backing away slowly.

"Don't worry about me" she said, fixing her eyes on her opponent.

"So you want us?" she muttered under her breath.

"You have to get through me first" she said through clenched teeth.

"Shezu get out of there!" Reylyn whimpered.

"I'll get help" one of the boys of the tribe said, disappearing into the forest.

In the mean time, everyone got out of the water as fast as they could. Vexathyr's disliked water but despite that, they were not bad swimmers and when hungry enough wouldn't hesitate to get their feet wet. Blocking out everything happening around her, Shezu had only eye for the _Vexathyr_ at the moment of its attack. She had only her mind to trust upon but that would be enough. It was as if everything happened in slow motion. The animal used its strong hind legs to begin the short sprint it used to jump its prey with. Fractions of seconds stretched itself out to what seemed like minutes to allow Shezu to prepare a lightning fast counterattack. She had to be quick, or it could cost her more than just her arm. The _Vexathyr _was very close to her now, opening its large wide beak with the long glistening teeth. The razor-sharp claws stretched themselves out to penetrate the flesh of the prey with a lethal strike.

But Shezu managed to stay just one step ahead of everything, having her counterattack in the palm of her left hand. A ball of concentrated psycho-kinetic energy, invisible to anyone without her special powers. But this time, she wouldn't repeat her mistake. Before the deadly claws could reach her, she brought up her right hand, using her fingers to bend her energy around the _Vexathyr_'s throat. Despite the animal's considerable speed, the creature was brought to an instant stop by a powerful force only visible to the girl who had been its prey just a moment ago. Trapped in her death grip she heaved the creature off the ground, until its legs were no longer touching the soil. Kicking with its legs, gasping for air between distorted growls, the animal's four eyes began to bulge out of the sockets as its air supply was cut off by the energy squeezing its throat shut. Shezu just stared at it for a moment. She felt no desire to kill it actually. It was just an animal, listening to instinct and its empty stomach. They had to eat too. But then she remembered the pain. Although it was not the same animal, it had tried to kill her, tried to kill her brothers and sisters. She could feel the anger trying to escape again.

"Not this time" she hissed between clenched teeth.

Without further thought she launched the energy into the squirming and wriggling _Vexathyr_'s face, which was more effective as she had learned from her brother Reyan. Blood splattered in all directions as bones cracked and arteries tore when splinters nailed the flesh. The attack was so powerful that the animal was launched backwards and crashed to the ground, lashing its claws, growling and roaring in excruciating pain. The other one could at least still walk away after Reyan's attack but this younger one, wasn't as tough. It didn't take long before it stopped resisting against the inevitable. Its last movements were the convulsions as bone splinters entering the frontal lobe causing intracerebral hemorrhage and an eventual death. Shezu was staring at the creature, slightly panting as she put quite a lot of energy in that attack, her hands still held up to defend herself if necessary. But the danger had passed. She was glad that it was over but at the same time, she felt something terrible deep inside her. She had killed. It may have been just an animal but she killed it. She didn't want to initially but something inside her somehow encouraged her to do it. It frightened her because she had felt something that was best described as delight. Taking a few deep breaths and she turned around but what she saw made her realize she had made a mistake, a terrible one.

They were staring at her, the fear in their eyes. And it weren't just the children from the tribe, but her brothers and sisters as well. They had never killed, for any reason, and she did, mercilessly. Nothing she said would change the fact that she had taken a life, no matter how insignificant. But it wasn't just that. It was the way she ended that animal's life. Yes, she had used her powers in front of everyone's eyes and that was something that astonished and frightened the children of the tribe at the same time but it was the cruel way of doing it. If they could have taken a look into her eyes at that very moment, they would have seen both the hatred and the delight.

"Are you all right?" she asked Zebi who had grabbed her clothes together but forgot to put them on.

She had been too busy trying to convince her brain that what her eyes were seeing was real. She did a step backwards with each step Shezu did towards her.

"W-What did you do to it?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"What are you?"

She had seen it. They had all seen it. They knew that apart from her descent from two different races that she was no ordinary girl. They had seen that she murdered the animal using some kind of invisible force. They had heard the stories from Fri'kaya about evil spirits and began to wonder if this girl was still carrying a trace inside her of one of those evil entities. How else could she be capable of such things?

"I'm just a girl like you" Shezu tried to salvage the situation.

"I wanted to save you. I wanted to save us all."

"Get away from me" Zebi said, trying to use whatever means necessary to get away from the crossbreed girl.

One of the boys from her tribe grabbed her arm and pulled her away from her.

"Please, I only wanted to help. You were in danger."

But it was of no use. She had tried to save them from a monster but in their eyes had become the monster itself because of the cruel display of her powers. The whole situation began to escalate at the moment as Wojé asked her new friend Reylyn what was going on. She didn't understand but feared the worst.

"Are you… Can you do things like that too?" she asked, flattening an ear, backing away from the Orketh girl in case she had those strange powers as well.

Reylyn's ears sagged and her eyes saddened. She was afraid to answer and had all the right to be. Her brother Jicko had warned her about the use of their abilities as the people believed in the existence of evil spirits and mistake them for being one. Jicko himself had overheard the conversation between Reylyn and Wojé.

"_This is gonna get ugly" _he thought to himself.

He was desperately racking his brains for a solution to this problem but without success.

"Yeah" Reylyn said softly, watching Wojé do step back as she confirmed the young girl's fears.

"I hope that's not a problem. I won't hurt you."

"You are possessed" the girl brought out in shock.

"Fri'kaja warned us about you. You are all possessed by evil demons."

"No, please listen to me" Jicko said, trying not to scare them any further than they already were.

"We are children just like you. We just have a gift. We can make things move without touching them."

"No!" one of the older boys yelled.

He began guiding his friends to safety, back to the village before anything could happen to them. He was quite brave, Jicko thought, considering that the boy was convinced that they were possessed by evil spirits, yet he first ensured the safety of the others before backing away himself.

"You are evil. If we let ourselves trust you, you will kill us."

But before they could disappear into the forest and tell the others the news about their guests, the late help arrived in the form of the father of the boy who had gone to get help. He was a hunter judging by the paintings on his face and two other hunters had joined him. One of these other two was a male, with a thick pointy spear in his right hand, an excellent short range weapon and even better in the hand of a good thrower. It was the other one however that made the hearts of Jicko and the rest skip a few beats. The large decorated longbow, a poison-tipped arrow on the string was held by no one less than Arojah, the cranky female hunter they had met earlier today. She was scanning the environment, cocking her ears to hear what her eyes couldn't see. This Mantrinesse was dangerous and wouldn't hesitate to shoot.

"What is wrong?" the father of the boy asked with his deep tenor voice.

"Is anyone hurt?"

Arojah had already spotted the dead _Vexathyr_ and snorted with disappointment at the sight. She lowered her bow for now but left the arrow on the string, in case she happened to miss something, which was highly unlikely of course.

"No" Wojé whimpered.

There was a monster coming from the forest and, it wanted to eat Zebi.

"Well, how did you kill it?" the hunter asked, genuinely astonished when he spotted the dead predator.

They were just children, there was no way they could have killed a _Vexathyr_ all by themselves and without weapons.

"She… she did something" Zebi wailed, wrapping an arm around the Mantrin's left leg, pointing at Shezu.

"She killed the beast without even touching it. She is possessed by a dark spirit. All of them. Don't let them hurt me."

The gifted children all recoiled in fear, when the hunters narrowed their eyes and flattened their ears in their neck. Arojah's bow had suddenly found itself a new target and the tip of the arrow was now pointing in the middle of the small group of children trying to find safety by each other. The female Sogowan hunter smirked almost evilly, a deep low growl coming from her throat.

"Please don't hurt us" Jicko begged.

"We are no demons. We're just children. There's no evil inside us."

"The evil the Shaman spoke off are masters of deception. We cannot trust our eyes and we must therefore trust Kirliya into making the right decision" Yshtari's father said.

Arojah pulled the string of her bow, ready to launch her arrow and find out if she made the right decision the hard way. She was about to release the deadly projectile until the boy's father put the weight of his hand on top of her weapon, lowering it.

"I am not sure about this. We will take you back to the village and then the Shaman will decide about you with the help of the First Warrior. If you are who you claim to be then you will live with us for as long as you want. If you are not…"

He lowered his voice even further, speaking slowly and threatening.

"…then the body of the child you possess will be executed and burned. You shall be driven out and pay for taking the live of these innocent children."

The hunters had been sharply watching them as they walked the small distance back to the village of the Trunali tribe. None of the children wanted to think about what would happen if Fri'kaja was convinced that they were all possessed by an evil spirit. They were sharing their thoughts using their psychic abilities, because no one dared to say something under the threatening look of Arojah, whose fingers were lightly tapping on the flexible wood of her hunting bow.

"_What do we do now?" _Reylyn asked.

"_I'm scared." _

Jicko was preparing himself to speak to Ayi'kutan directly. The Chief would likely be the one asking the questions. There was one small chance but it was better than nothing. Kenagi was currently the only one who knew about their special powers but he was not sure if the teenage boy could make a difference. He was their friend but if the rest of his tribe was convinced that they were evil, than he doubted the young hunter could change their minds.

"_I'll speak to them" _he said to the others mentally.

"_I've done it before. Maybe Kenagi can help us." _

"_Help us? He would probably think we have betrayed him" _Syndar replied.

"_He's our only chance. I have to try." _

When arrived back into the village, almost the entire tribe was waiting around the fires. The children of the tribe, who had stayed far away from them ever since someone suggested that they were possessed ran into the arms of their worried parents.

"Wojé" her mother said, lifting her daughter off the ground, cradling the sobbing girl in her arms.

"Are you all right sweetheart?"

"Yes mommy" the girl replied, touching her beak to her mother's.

Her father brought his face closer to his daughter's and comforted her by licking her cheek. All children ran back to their parents, spreading the disturbing news about their young guests amongst the entire tribe. By the time Shezu and her brothers and sisters arrived at the center of the village, there wasn't a single member left who didn't know. Had they seemed friendly when they left to play in the forest with the rest of the children, their faces were now a mixture of fear and anger. Forced by Arojah's bow, she just loved to point in their direction they found themselves standing in the almost complete circle of tribe members. Cowering under their looks, they stood as closely together as they could. Reylyn was so scared that she buried her face in her sister's chest and wrapped her arms so tightly around Shezu's middle that she was afraid her sister would break her in two. Ayi'kutan who felt responsible for the well-being of his tribe stepped forward, taking a threatening position. He was breathing heavily through his nose and it was as if he didn't know what to do with them. His already thin trust had been damaged severely and he didn't seem very forgiving. But the worst thing was to face Kenagi. When Jicko's eyes found his, he felt an enormous feeling of guilt which seemed to come out of nowhere. The disappointment was dripping from his face. He opened his beak as if he were about to say something but merely heaved a sigh, slowly shaking his head. After what seemed like ages, Ayi'kutan spoke but it wasn't directed at the frightened group of children in front of him.

"Quick, go and get Fri'kaja!"

That was to be expected but when the Shaman arrived she was shocked, astounded to find the reason Ayi'kutan called for her. She stumbled something indistinct when someone informed her about the situation.

"What do you want from us?" Ayi'kutan suddenly asked.

His voice didn't sound friendly anymore. There was a hint of fear but the tone sounded angry and threatening. One wrong word and that arrow, still on the string of Arojah's bow would find itself a target. Jicko timidly stepped out of the group, his ears lowered, afraid to speak. He stumbled in his speech when he started talking and tears were welling up in his eyes as he did.

"Please, we are just children. We never had the intention of hurting anyone."

"That's not what I asked" the Chief grumbled, crossing his arms.

"What do you want from us?"

"Nothing. We just wanted a place to stay. If it hadn't been for your son, those soldiers would have taken us."

"Yes, I think I'm beginning to understand why they were chasing you."

Jicko's hearts skipped a few beats, when he heard the string of Arojah's bow tensing further. For a moment he closed his eyes, fearing that it would be over soon but the moment passed and he was still standing. He forced himself to look up and defend himself.

"No, it's not what you think" he said, shaking his head.

"We are not possessed. Our father always told us that we were special. We can do certain… things, other people can't. It's complicated. That's why they were after us; because they are afraid of our abilities. They wanna kill us."

Ayi'kutan's face twisted, thinking it over.

"You're lying" he replied slowly.

"If the things I heard are true then your body must have been taken over by an evil presence, a demon. No child of Kirliya can do such things."

"No please" Jicko begged.

"Let me explain. For example, the reason why we can understand each other? That's because I'm using my gift. To make my words understandable to you and your people and the other way around."

"You are in my mind right now?" Arojah growled.

"He is a demon. I'll make an end to this."

"Arojah no!" Ayi'kutan yelled.

But it was too late. The string of the bow snapped, the arrow covering the distance to its target in a fraction of a second. Until, just a few centimeters from Jicko's body, it came to a halt in midair. The Talocaan boy had never felt his hearts beating as fast as they did now. Holding the arrow, its sharp tip shining in the light of the downing sun, was Shezu, having the dangerous projectile trapped into an invisible field of psychic energy, bringing its speed down to zero. Reylyn who had seen it happen, had let go of her in an instant, the only sound coming from her beak a soft squeak. It was almost as if the girl was about to faint. The entire tribe and most of all, Arojah herself, was staring at her in astonishment.

"It is true" Fri'kaya said incredulously, her beak falling open.

They did have special powers and they weren't possessed. Their eyes weren't pitch black or fiery red, as the stories told and didn't appear as if they were gonna cause any harm. But even if they were, her tribe was too astounded to do something. Letting her arms fall beside her body, the energy field disappeared and Shezu allowed herself to breathe normally again. The arrow dropped harmlessly to the ground, where it fell into the soft grass. It was almost completely silent, except for the soft crackling of the fire and the wind blowing through the rustling leaves of the trees.

"I can't believe my eyes" Ayi'kutan said slowly.

"Fri'kaya, what do you think? Are their evil spirits at work here?"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous!" Oywelu snarled.

"If that were true, they would have ended all our lives a long time ago."

She left her space between the members of her tribe and sunk through her knees in front of the children.

"Please forgive us" she said with her warm voice.

"You made us believe that you were not who you appear to be. We were wrong."

"We're sorry" Jicko said softly, placing his head on her soft belly.

"We should have told you. But we were afraid to."

Oywelu gently rubbed between the boy's ears and soon found herself being surrounded and hugged by all children looking for comfort. Fri'kaja walked up to her and looked at each child individually, smiling.

"There is no evil in these children. They just have a very special gift. A gift given to them by Kirliya."

The entire tribe heaved a shared sigh of relief under the Shaman's words. This was actually a cause for delight. The tribe had the honor to have these special guests among them. Ayi'kutan offered his apologies which the children accepted. He was only trying to protect his people from harm. They couldn't blame him for that. Kenagi stepped forward and wanted to apologize too.

"I'm… sorry guys. For a moment I thought…"

"That's okay" Jicko said before he could say more.

"You did what was best for your people."

Kenagi nodded, glad that their friendship didn't suffer because of these strange developments. He turned to his mother, telling her what he wanted to tell her a few days ago, which he didn't because he trusted the children that they would tell his tribe about their powers themselves one day.

"You knew about this?" Oywelu asked more than a little surprised, flattening an ear.

"From the moment they arrived here" her son replied, with a look on the children.

"Jicko showed it to me that first night. I wanted to give them the chance to tell it themselves."

"I believe you did the right thing with that Kenagi."

Reylyn noticed Wojé standing next to her, hiding her claws behind her back, staring at the ground.

"I'm sorry for what I said to you" she said softly.

"Do you still wanna be my friend?"

The hug she received when Reylyn flung her arms around her neck answered her question. The Orketh girl was sweet and forgiving and Wojé was glad about that.

"Of course" Reylyn said happily, when she released her.

Against all odds, even Arojah offered her apology to the group, especially Jicko albeit reluctantly.

"Please, forgive me" she said.

Even if she tried to be nice she grumbled but the children understood the underlying message.

"If it hadn't been for your sister, I would have killed you. A mere child."

"I-I understand" Jicko replied.

"You are a hunter and a warrior. You were only trying to protect your tribe."

Something that in her case resembled a faint smile appeared on Arojah's painted face. She even gave him a rub between his ears, a little rough but still. He felt like a huge load just dropped from his shoulders. They didn't have to keep their gift a secret anymore. This village had just become their home and its people their family and they had accepted them as they were.


	22. Chapter 19 Shezu's Revenge

**Shezu's Revenge**

The rest of the day passed normally, with one little difference. During the evening meal, some of the younger members of the tribe had insisted on _seeing_ their gift. Technology was already a strange and mysterious phenomenon for these people, although they were certainly not stupid in that area. They were vaguely aware of the modern lifestyle of their brothers and sisters but had no desire to live among them in their cities. They even knew that they traveled beyond the sky. But just as anyone, to see children around ten years old making ordinary things move with just a thought, was simply staggering. Even for Fri'kaya, who made contact with the spirit realm and tried to communicate with the far ancestors of their tribe, it was inexplicable. But instead of being afraid, she was intrigued by it just like the rest of her tribe. "Kirliya has blessed you with this wonderful gift" she had said. Just like their father, the old Shaman was convinced that it was something beautiful, something that could be used to the benefit of more people than just the gifted.

"I was really scared" Jicko said, that night when they were all back in their hut.

He was lying on his back on the mattress, the blanket pulled up to his waist, covering his left leg. Summer was really close and it was quite warm during the day as well as the night. It took some time for the planet to cool off and the huts were relatively cool from the inside during the day when the sun was shining at full force and warm enough during the night. Despite being simple, they were comfortable to spend the night in under most circumstances.

"For a moment I thought that Ayi'kutan would kill me. I sensed real fear inside him. I think that for a moment he _was _convinced that we were possessed by evil."

Jicko had the feeling that his brothers and sisters were only listening with half an ear. They were all trying to sleep but the weather had drastically changed after today's evening meal.

"I'm still a little scared" Reylyn said when her ears picked up the distant rumble of an approaching thunderstorm.

One of the tribe members had already spotted the darkening sky earlier that day. They had expected it to be here in the evening and that moment had come. It didn't take long before the children could hear the first ticks of rain falling on the roof of their hut. Hoping that they were safe against the forces of nature inside the simple accommodation they crawled deeper under their blankets, hoping that it would be over soon.

"I want my _Wibbi_."

_Wibbi _was Reylyn's cuddly toy, a soft plush that slightly resembled a native animal which she always used to clasp under her arm whenever she got to sleep. She was really attached to that thing and the thought of having to leave it back in the place they once called home made her eyes fill themselves with tears at moments like these. She felt safe with her _Wibbi_ lying next to her and this was the first time she really missed it.

"Don't be scared Reylyn" Pynch said, trying to make his little sister feel a little more comfortable.

He was a little afraid of the rumbling thunder himself too; they all were. Their home had been built partially inside a hill, perfectly isolated from any scary sounds of bad weather. They had never heard anything like this before.

"It's nothing bad" Shezu tried to comfort them all, including herself.

"It's just the rain."

She heard a soft sob, coming from the left side of the hut.

"I want daddy" Reylyn said tearfully, hiding under her blanket.

Shezu let out a sigh and tapped with the end of her long prehensile tail on the mattress, playing back today's events in her mind. She wanted to go to sleep. They would need all their energy as Jetréycka still had a lot to teach them but when she closed her eyes, all she saw were the shocked expressions on the faces of everyone who had seen her get angry. First Jetréycka, then her own brothers and sisters and then again when their playtime was roughly interrupted by that _Vexathyr_. _Am I a bad person? _She kept asking herself the same question over and over again. It was quiet now, except for the rain so her thoughts weren't even distracted by the others.

Eventually she tried a different approach. She used her gift to concentrate and clear her mind. All the disturbing thoughts left her mind as she focused, using her own heartbeat and respiration to concentrate on. It was strange and at the same time comforting how her father's lessons helped her through difficult moments, even when he wasn't there and even while he couldn't know what it was like to have these special powers. Once she had wondered how life would be without them. Then she would be just a normal girl, leading an ordinary life in modern society, play with other kids of her age and go to school. And those thoughts had always lead to the questions about her real parents. And her father always gave her the same answers. But right now, her mind was clear, as empty as the vacuum of space. But it gradually began to fill up with new images, not the nightmarish ones she often had the last couple of times, but beautiful ones. Not knowing what they meant, she let them come as she slowly entered the dreamworld.

It was in the middle of the night that she woke up, disturbed in her sleep by the sound of voices. Rubbing in her eyes, hoping that it wasn't morning yet, Shezu woke up, cursing the people who were shouting while others were trying to sleep. The thunderstorm had passed over and the rain had obviously stopped. Still she couldn't exactly hear what they were saying but they didn't sound very friendly.

"_What could possibly be so important that they have to wake everyone up?" _she thought irritatedly.

She yawned, feeling a slight shiver moving up her spine. Whatever it was, she wasn't the only one whose dreams were roughly disturbed by them.

"What? Is it morning already?" Fran asked quietly.

"Fran? Are you awake?" Shezu whispered.

"Now I am" the Goureg boy muttered a little agitatedly.

Cocking her ears, Shezu tried to find out what they were saying. The past few days she had used her gift all the time when she was trying to communicate with the members of the tribe and so she did this time. But something was different. When she realized that she didn't have to use her gift to understand one half of the conversation her hearts began beating so fast that she was actually afraid that the people outside would _hear_ it. Trying to control her hurried breathing, she tried to find out what they were saying while trying to find a way out of this perilous situation.

"_They have found us!" _she thought in panic, though she didn't show any of it.

Trying to listen closely, her ears picked up the words of a heated discussion between one of the tribe members standing guard near the fire and a soldier. The soldier's voice sounded awfully familiar and suddenly she recognized it when she combined the sound with the face. It was the same guy who had invaded their home, the same warrior she had stared right into his eyes when they met. She didn't even know his name but when she saw his face in front of her again her fists began to ball themselves and she could feel that anger again. The thought alone. It was infuriating. He was primarily responsible for this mess. For losing her father and Reyan and Eyza. They were locked up and in pain because of him. She hated him but she was still afraid to act.

"Wake up guys" she asked as quietly as possible, afraid that the soldiers would hear her.

Treji's eyes flashed with barely restrained anger as his hands clamped themselves around his weapon. The hunter in front of him was really testing his patience, pretending he didn't know what he was talking about. The rest of his squad was already searching the area, to prevent them from escaping behind their backs.

"This area's clear!" one of them reported, detecting no life signs of children in that part of the small village.

Treji knew they were hiding here. After his 'failure' as Mithras had spat it right into his face, the General had the entire area around the Trunali's territory monitored for any escapers. There was no way they could've left the area without them knowing. That group of freakish little brats had cost him his rank. After Mithras heard about his failure he had lost his commission as Captain and been degraded back to Lieutenant First Class.

"You can have it back…" Mithras had sneered, "…if you can prove that you're not the complete failure you appear to be."

He hadn't looked directly into his superior's eyes at that moment. He had been afraid that Mithras would see his anger, and the desire to degrade _him_ back to a lifeless pile of meat. He didn't want to admit it to himself but that guy's laugh gave him the creeps. He could take away his commission as a Captain and humiliate him in front of his fellow soldiers; Treji was not someone who gave up after one try. He was an EAF soldier, a warrior elite, ready to give his life for the Mantrin Empire if duty demanded it. Despite his lower rank, he was still the ranking soldier of his squad and had led them into the forest at night, against the General's orders to show him what he was worth. The Emperor himself demanded the capture of every single child and that would happen tonight.

"Listen to me you primitive cave-dweller!" Treji snarled.

"We know you are hiding them here somewhere and if you don't tell me where they are, I'll start searching myself and the chance of innocent people getting hurt will be a lot higher then. Now tell me where they are!"

He knew the guy in front of him wasn't stupid, although he was sure acting like he was. A look on the guns was enough to make the hunter realize that they were here for only one reason. The brown Talocaan boy had told them himself. They were here because they thought they were monsters, created only to kill. But in the past few days he had seen for himself that they were merely children. It would be wrong to allow these soldiers to take them. The girl with the golden hair, Shezu was her name, had even told the Shaman that she had a nightmare last night in which she had seen her family being mistreated. She had been convinced that it wasn't just a bad dream but something that was really happening. If he allowed them to be taken, it would seal their fate.

"Sure we have children here" he said calmly.

"I always thought you city people had children too. But of course I could be wrong. I don't know what's going on there these days."

"You really are stupid, are you?" Treji spat back, the hunter's calmness only angering him more.

_Guess I have to teach them the hard way. You can't fool me._ In the mean time his shouting had woken up more tribe members, who came outside to see what was happening. Some of them indeed had children, their innocent eyes gleaming in the light of the fire. One of them yawned, asking his mother what was going on. The Mantrinesse guided him back inside the hut but Treji had already seen that it wasn't one of the children he was looking for.

"Sir! We may have something" one of his men called.

"Finally" he grumbled, walked over to the hut the soldier was pointing at with the muzzle of his gun.

This time they were not going to escape.

"Jicko wake up!" Shezu whispered, shaking up her sleeping brother.

Finding him in the dark had already been difficult. In the mean time Fran was trying to wake up the others, his tears leaving wet trails on his cheeks. They had very little time and the boy knew that too. They were close, she could sense them. They had technology that could detect life signs so they couldn't escape their attention by just staying inside. Her brother woke up, his voice distorted by the sleep.

"Huh? Already?" he murmured.

"I'm still feel so tired. Can't I sleep for just-"

"Shhhht!" Shezu hissed, clamping his beak shut with her hand.

"Jicko, they have found us! The soldiers, they are here!"

"What?" he said, his voice muffled because he couldn't open his beak.

When he finally understood what she was talking about he shot straight up, taking deep breaths, concentrating to try and assess the situation. Indeed, he could sense eight minds that shouldn't be here. Eight minds that belonged to the soldiers who were after them since they left home.

"No. I was afraid that this might happen" he said, grabbing his head, panic-stricken by her words.

He didn't know what to do. There was no way out. If they stayed here, they would find them anyway but running would have the same result. Desperately trying to come up with a plan he tried to remain calm but he couldn't. His mind was a storm of panicking thoughts, as uncontrollable as the storm from last evening. If there even was a way out, he couldn't find it.

"What do we do?" Syndar who was awake too, asked, crawling on his knees closer to them.

They were all awake now; awoken into the middle of a nightmare. A nightmare come true.

"I'm scared" Reylyn whispered tearfully.

They all held their breath when they sensed the soldiers' threatening presence, now closer than ever. They could see the searchlights on their weapons scanning the walls of their hut. There was no more time. They were purely driven by instinct, a wild instinct washing out all rational thoughts. As a group they prepared themselves to make a run for it and not look back. With the blood rushing in her ears, her hearts beating against the inside of her chest, Shezu had her eyes fixed on the entrance of the hut, through which the soldiers could come at any moment now. The tension was unbearable and the fear was making her feel slightly nauseous. Refusing to give up, she began to gather her power.

With a fast stroke the curtain hanging in front of the entrance was removed. What she saw was the muzzle of a gun, pointed in their direction. Reacting much faster than the person holding the weapon, she punched her hands forward, launching the energy she had gathered into the soldier's direction. She heard a loud growl when the invisible force hit him right into his stomach area. The sound of a body protected by armor hitting the grass gave them the sign to get up and start running as fast as their large triple jointed legs, which were not exactly built for running, allowed them to. Shezu didn't know where she had to go and neither did any of her brothers and sisters. They just ran for their lives without looking at the Mantrins who set off in pursuit. The problem was that they had the advantage. On their bigger legs they were faster and with their advanced weaponry they could shoot them from a distance. Plasma pulses glanced off the walls of the huts, as they zigzagged between them, some of them setting small fires to the material. Members of the tribe started to scream, trying to save their homes by putting out the fires as soon as possible. Shezu didn't even see it. All she could think of was getting into the cover of the forest. That was until she heard the scream of her younger sister.

"Help me!" Reylyn screamed, kicking with her legs and beating with her fists when one of the soldiers picked her up in his strong arm.

"Reylyn!" she yelled, alerting the others that they were about to lose their sister.

They couldn't let that happen. They all stopped dead in their tracks, turning around to do something.

"Let me go you big jerk!" the girl screamed, the tears streaming down her face.

The soldier, a large Goureg, laughed maliciously, pressing her firmly against his armored chest.

"She sure is a feisty one" he said to his fellow soldiers.

They laughed too, pointing their weapons at the other children.

"Let me go or I will!-"

"Aarghh!"

The warrior was forced to let her go when Reylyn decided to put her sharp teeth in his flesh.

"Stupid little brat!" he spat, licking the bleeding teeth marks in his arm.

Turning his attention to the child on the ground, which looked back at him he brought back his hand and slapped her in the middle of her face.

"That will teach her!"

Shezu let out a growl of anger when she watched this happen. How could someone do that to a child? Her father had been right all the time. These people were cruel. She doubted they gave much about the lives of others. Something that surprised her even more was that one of the soldiers was female. An Amadre Mantrinesse with a light green-bluish skin and black patterns all over her body. She was slightly smaller but just like the rest didn't seem to have problems with hurting children. Shezu's anger reached the boiling point when Reylyn fell to the ground, crying.

"I'll kill you!" she shouted, stepping forward, her hands sparking with uncontrolled energy.

But before she could act, something happened that neither she nor the soldiers had expected. A Mantrin hunter stepped between her and the soldiers, his large back blocking them from her eyesight, his tail lashing. His hunting bow was pointed at the soldiers, an arrow on the tensed string. His voice betrayed that it was their friend, Kenagi.

"Get up Reylyn" he said in a friendly but firm way.

"Go and don't look back. I've protected you and your brothers and sisters before and I'll do it again."

Doing as he said, Reylyn hesitantly joined with the others, grabbing Jicko's arm. The soldiers were unimpressed by the Mantrin with the painted face in front of them and aimed their pulse rifles, their searchlights almost blinding him. Behind them, clouds of smoke began to rise towards the clear night sky, where She'loh and Dimra casted their pale shine on the sad scene. Two of the huts were caught on fire and the tribe members were desperately trying to help the occupants to save their homes.

"Get out of the way" Treji sneered.

In the mean time the children were about to escape again. But apparently the Mantrin who was trying to protect them meant more to them, keeping them from running. They were even calling him by his name. His weapon was still on stun, for now but for some reason he felt the desire to change that and make an example of him. They were actually thinking that he could protect them. _It will be good to crush their hopes. _

"Kenagi, they'll kill you."

"Go!" the hunter said over his shoulder.

"You are my friends and I cannot allow my friends to overcome a terrible fate. I'll be okay, now go!"

But before the last words were over his lips, a blue glowing plasma bolt struck him in the middle of his chest. He had never felt anything like it before. The burning sensation of the blue light was intense. For a moment he wobbled on his legs, which began to feel like they were never made to carry his weight. His arms weakened, letting go of the bow. The weapon misfired, the arrow missing the target, burying itself into the ground about half a meter from the nearest soldier. His vision began to blur, when he suddenly began to feel very tired. The sound of the children screaming echoed in his ears and he vaguely felt how he began to fall backwards into darkness.

"Kenagi! No!" Fran cried.

"He's not dead" Shezu said, vaguely picking up Kenagi's consciousness.

He was alive, only sedated. But now there was no one in between them and their attackers, something they had noticed too.

"Get them!" Treji ordered.

"Run!" Shezu yelled, ducking for cover, using her gift to fend off the plasma pulses.

They had already passed the last huts and the forest began almost immediately behind them. There was no clear path between the trees and the dense foliage served as an excellent cover, making it hard for them to lock weapons, even with the help of their advanced optical technology.

Shezu ran as fast as she could, powered by adrenaline, unstoppable by even the tiredness or the searing pain in her leg muscles. She just ran and ran without knowing where she went, as long as it was far away from those soldiers. When she finally thought it was safe to rest for a while she let herself fall with her back against a tree on a small open spot in the middle of the dark forest, barely able to catch her breath. Her clothing stuck to her body, the patches of colorful cloth soaked with sweat. But when she tried to locate them on her mental radar, she realized something else; something she thought was far more concerning than her own well-being. The others! They were gone! No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't sense their presence anywhere. _No, this can't be true._ They had all ran off into the forest without keeping an eye on each other, driven purely by fear and instinct. But if even if they had, she should still be able to sense them. They couldn't have ran off that far.

"_No please, this can't be happening" _she thought desperately.

Pulling her sticky wet hair out of her face, she concentrated harder, extending her range further. For a couple of minutes she thoroughly searched the entire area. Still nothing.

"No" she wailed softly, falling on her first set of knees into the dirt which was moist from the rain that had fallen earlier.

She couldn't find them. That meant that they were either dead or unconscious, thus taken by those men. For a moment she cried, almost begging that they would come and end her life too. At least she would be with her brothers and sisters again. But when she picked up the presence of the group of soldiers, not far from her location, her irrational thoughts were replaced by something else.

"No" she muttered to herself.

They were close, almost near her. Her enhanced hearing allowed her to pick up their footsteps, the rustling of the leaves as they stepped through the bushes long before they could see her. And when they finally arrived, five out of eight, including the leader of the squad they had no idea what they were up against. Their searchlights found a little girl, standing near a tree, staring at the ground. Shezu didn't exactly know what happened. Her mind began to cloud over with a feverish sort of anger. The thought of her family being captured, abused and maybe even killed by these monsters was pushing the dormant hatred inside her to the surface. It was like an intense raging inferno inside of her. A furious blinding force surging through every inch of her body. It threatened to overwhelm her and eventually she allowed it. She didn't care anymore. Whatever happened next, they deserved every bit of it.

"Give up" Treji grunted, smirking.

"It's over. If you come with us real slowly, I might even consider not to sedate you."

"No" she said, shaking her head.

She had never been this angry before. Fri'kaya had been right on one point. Something had taken possession of her, only it wasn't a dark spirit or other supernatural being. It was the anger and the hatred coming from deep within her taking shape. She just stood there, clenching her fists until the palms of her hands began to bleed when her claws penetrated her skin. Treji watched suspiciously, expecting something. He kept his finger on the trigger of his weapon just to be sure. After all he didn't know what to expect. The others had tried to resist as well. One of them even injured one of his men, effortlessly breaking the soldier's arm with a loud snap. _Things are never as simple as they first appear to be._ However he felt the urge to do a step back when she finally looked in his direction and slowly began walking towards them. The eyes of the child burned with such an intense hate that she could have obliterated him and his squad if only her look could have killed. He didn't exactly know what she was capable of but he would find out soon enough.

"Enough. I'll put you out just like the others if you do one step closer."

The rest of his squad aimed their weapons as well but it didn't appear as if she was going to let that stop her.

"No. I won't let you…" she said between clenched teeth.

Her bleeding hands opened themselves, sparking with psycho-kinetic energy. If his eyepiece was registrating correctly, she was emitting an amount of energy equivalent to all of their weapons' power cells combined.

"I won't let you…"

"Hold it!" he said, now keeping an active aim on her.

"I won't let you do it! I won't let you hurt them anymore!" she suddenly screamed.

A sudden wind appeared to be coming out of nowhere but the incoming data on his eyepiece told Treji that it was coming from her. Shezu had never handled such power before. Twigs and dirt were blown away around her feet when the enormous amount of excess energy expelled itself through her body. Electrical shocks crawled over her hands and arms when she gathered her energy. Her anger allowed her to tap into a source of power far beyond anything she had ever imagined. It went quicker and easier than ever before, like she had never done any different. A red veil had fallen in front of her eyes and all she could think of was making them pay for what they'd done. Treji was shocked for a brief moment. He was trying to protect his face with his arm to prevent the twigs and the dirt from hitting him in the face. He noticed his men were doing the same, making them unable to keep their weapons aimed. Squinting his eyes, he looked at the girl standing at a few meters away from him. It was astounding. It was as if he was looking at a miniature electric storm and in the middle was the girl. His eyepiece was registrating a power that just didn't stop rising. She was becoming more powerful by the second.

"Shoot her!" he yelled above the noise of the wind created by her energy.

With their eyes narrowed to slits, they all aimed their weapons and pulled the trigger. Treji smirked when his eyepiece registrated direct hits but the smirk quickly disappeared when he noticed that what he was hitting was not the girl. The blue plasma pulses fired by their weapons were harmlessly deflected. They simply glanced off some sort of barrier. And when he looked closely he saw that it was her. A bubble of energy surrounding her body! She had created some sort of shield to protect herself from harm.

"_This can't be" _he thought, unable to believe his own eyes.

"Weapons on kill!" he yelled, adjusting the settings and re-aiming.

It had no effect. That barrier was somehow impenetrable. He instinctively did a step back when she raised her hands, plasma pulses still deflecting off her shield, until his men begin to realize that their attempts to stop her were futile. Slowly but firmly the girl began to walk into their direction, her hands still up.

"I've tried to be nice" she said through clenched teeth.

Her voice was distorted by sorrow and most of all anger. A tear rolled down her cheek, leaving a wet trail on her face which had turned into a mask of rage. She finally seemed to have her energy under control but her anger was a different story.

"I've tried to be nice" she repeated.

"But you wouldn't listen. I never wanted to hurt anyone."

Faster than Treji's eyes could follow she directed her hands at the Sogowan soldier at his far left.

"This is all your own fault!" she shouted.

The Mantrin dropped his weapon, his body making sickly convulsive movements. He opened his beak to scream, a loud roar of pain escaping his mouth, when he was slowly heaved off the ground. Treji and the other members of his team watched in horror when he started kicking with his legs when his feet could no longer touch solid ground. He was dangling helplessly in Shezu's invisible grip. He desperately reached for his throat when there was no more air to breathe.

"Help me" he scratched, blood dripping from his beak.

"It hurts, does it?" Shezu asked, her voice having something evil.

"Not as much as you've hurt me!" she wailed.

"Now die!"

A sudden move of her hands to the sides was followed by the sickening sound of breaking bones and torn flesh. A rain of blood sprayed the ground surrounding his body, when both his arms were torn off. What was left of his body dropped gracelessly to the ground, a last gargling scream escaping his beak. Shezu was staring pantingly at the result of her action, not because she was tired but because she was shocked herself. She never thought herself capable of taking someone's life. Killing that animal yesterday had still felt different. This Mantrin was a sentient being. Maybe he even had a family of his own. She didn't think about that when she took his life.

"No. This is all your fault!" she cried.

She didn't want to kill but it was payback for what they did. They were responsible.

"You are making me do this."

Treji didn't hesitate. This creature was death itself taken form. He had to eliminate her and quickly. Taking advantage of the internal conflict inside the girl, he put his weapon on the highest setting and aimed for her chest at the spot between her hearts. He pulled the trigger, whispering a short prey to the First Warrior. However, she might have been horrified by her own action, she hadn't let her guard down in the mean time. Before the plasma pulse could hit its target, it was slapped away by the back of her hand. The pulse hit a nearby tree instead, blowing a massive hole inside the trunk, sending a rain of splinters in all directions.

"Is that all you've got?" she asked.

"Curse you!" Treji yelled in frustration.

"You're underestimating my power. You have no idea who you're messing with!"

One of the remaining soldiers, the Amadre Mantrinesse she had seen before, suddenly dropped her gun, grabbing her head with both hands, a high pitched scream leaving her beak, when Shezu entered her mind, stimulating the pain center of her brain.

"Why are you doing this?" Shezu yelled as she fell on her knees in front of her.

She was inside her mind at the same time, knowing about her life. How she in fact loved children and wanted to have her own some day.

"Tell me or I'll cook your brain in its own fluids!"

She was in too much pain to answer, writhing in agony on the ground, still clamping her head and ears. With a swift move, Shezu broke her neck and put her out of her misery. People like her didn't deserve to have children. In a response to her second kill the other soldiers opened fire again but the volatile energy was harmless deflected by her energy barrier. With a quick move she ended the lives of two of them as well, one by causing a massive bleeding inside his brain and the other by simply crushing the armor around his body like she was squeezing a tin can. When his chest collapsed, all of his internal organs were reduced to pulp killing him instantly. Before the last one, the leader of the squad as she knew, could open fire again she pulled his weapon out of his hands and crushed it, together with the other ones lying near the dead bodies. Small explosions erupted from the tiny smoking heaps of metal when the power cells released their energy in the only other way possible. The last Mantrin stared at her, compelled by fear, his face a picture of despair.

"W-What are you?" he asked with a trembling voice.

"Me?" Shezu said with a soft laugh.

"I think I've just become your worst nightmare."

With a powerful punch forward she tossed his body back against a tree with such force that he could hear something snap inside his back. The pain was excruciating when several bones in his tail shattered upon impact, and he slowly slit to the ground. His screams bellowed through the forest, until the part of his body under his chest stopped functioning completely. He could no longer feel his legs, his broken tail, anything. He could see the girl stepping towards him, realizing it would all be over soon. Shezu hardly noticed that the energy in the palms of her hands was visible not only to her for the first time. She was holding two sparking balls in both hands, tongues of crackling energy licking the ground like fiery blue whips.

"Why can't I get inside your mind?" she said, trying to concentrate.

Something was obstructing her from getting inside. As soon as she got through the outer layers and tried to look deeper she hit some sort of barrier. It was strange.

"Answer me!" she yelled, the balls of energy crackling more intensely for a short moment.

Treji smirked and still managed to produce a soft laugh. He couldn't feel the pain in the lower half of his body anymore.

"Psychic inhibitor" he said.

"If put on you, it will prevent you from using your powers. But as a extension to my neural transceiver, it will keep you out of places you shouldn't stick your nose in."

Shezu thought about this. This was making things a little more complicated. Now she had to force him to tell her the things she wanted to know.

"Where are my brothers and sisters? Where is my father?"

Treji laughed and coughed up blood, which trickled from his beak.

"You'll never know."

"Stop testing my patience!" she shouted.

"Why don't you just get it over with and kill me right now?"

Shezu snorted. That would be the easy way out for him and then she still wouldn't know where to look for the others. She had no idea where their base was and going to one of the cities was not an option either. They all thought of her as a monster. They would never believe or help her.

"Tell me what I wanna know!" she yelled, launching the balls of energy on both sides past the soldier's body.

The deafening explosions that followed when they hit the soil about five meters from him blew large craters into the ground, sending dirt in all directions but Treji merely laughed.

"It's frustrating isn't it? When you can't get what you want? Tell you what? You cost me my commission! My rank as Captain! My honor!"

"Like I care! Now you better start talking fast! Where are my brothers and sisters?"

He didn't reply but laughed again. It made her so furious. Indeed, she couldn't find the answers to her questions inside his mind, but there were other ways to do it. He was going to talk, one way or another. He suddenly grimaced, when his head felt like it was splitting in two. He screamed in agony and again and again when she repeated whatever she was doing. He growled and spat on the ground before her feet.

"I hate you! Why couldn't you just die?" he shouted.

"You will hate me even more when I'm done with you" she said viciously.

With a powerful blow from an invisible fist his head made a rough contact with the tree. It turned black in front of his eyes for a few seconds until his vision returned. He could feel warm blood beginning to flow down the back of his head into his neck. He bit his teeth and growled in pain, when he looked her in the eyes again.

"I know what you are" he said between clenched teeth.

"You are a freak! Nobody likes freaks! You will be the most hated creature on this planet and they will hunt you down until you're dead!"

"Say that again when I blow your freakin' head off!" she yelled.

"Now tell me what I wanna know or I'll let you eat your own eyeballs!"

"Over my dead body."

She growled in frustration and tried a different approach. That device inside his head was preventing her from entering his thoughts and memories but there was one thing she could still access.

"Here's a nice question for you" she said furiously.

"How fast do you start talking when you are on fire?"

She had never heard anyone scream like that before. He couldn't move most of his body but his arms starting lashing around him, his head jolting from side to side. The hallucinations and the pain were so real that he couldn't tell if it was or not. The pain was so intense that he was about to lose consciousness. But before that could happen she stopped.

"Stooop! Please stop!" he cried.

"What? Pain? You don't know the meaning of the word. But I'll show you."

"Please! I'll tell you! Please don't hurt me anymore!"

"Where are they?"

"They've been taken back to the base" he brought out, coughing.

"Where is that?"

"I don't know. I can't tell you exactly without a map."

That was true. He couldn't even show her because his eyepiece was lying broken in the dirt next to him. But even if it had worked, it wouldn't have been of much use to her.

"Who did this? Who ordered you to kill us?"

"Not kill you" Treji whimpered.

"We were under orders of the General to retrieve you, to bring you and the others back alive. We were only authorized to kill when it was absolutely necessary. The Emperor himself gave the order. You are considered a danger to everyone on this planet."

Shezu thought about what he just said. _The Emperor? He_ was the one responsible for everything? She couldn't believe it. Her father told them about the Emperor once. His name was Zahn and he was married to Empress The'lah. He had two sons, Kero and Rajah. They lived inside a large palace in the city of Ta'keth, which was not very far from their home. She couldn't really remember the rest but her father told her that he was a good person and good ruler to his people. How could he be responsible for all this?

"You're lying!" she shouted.

"Stop lying to me!"

"It's true I swear!" Treji screamed, trying vainly to protect his head with his arms.

"The Emperor himself gave the order to find and neutralize you if you were a threat. He said you and your brothers and sisters are a danger to planetary security. The General told us himself."

Shezu was indecisive for a moment. Was the Emperor really such a cruel person? Her father would never lie to her but he could be wrong himself about the Emperor. It was so confusing. But if it was true what this soldier was telling her, then he was the one responsible. For the mistreatment of Reyan, Eyza and their father. For their suffering. And also for the suffering of the others. She could feel her anger growing again, directing itself at the Mantrin who had caused all this in the first place.

"Where is Ta'keth?" she grumbled, her eyes flashing in Treji's direction.

"Not far. If you go that way. You'll eventually reach a river. Just follow the river and eventually you'll reach a cliff from where you can see the city."

He abruptly shut his mouth when he realized what he just said.

"Why exactly?" he asked with a tiny voice.

"I've got a score to settle" she sneered.

"Please. Not me. I didn't do anything."

"You are the one who entered our house, aren't you? You took them away from me."

"No please, I'll do everything you ask!"

"And I've got just about enough of you."

A few moments later, Shezu found herself on her way towards the city. Fueled by her anger she didn't even feel tired. The sun was beginning to peek over the horizon to announce the next day. The sky was almost clear and it proved to be a beautiful day again. But not for one person in particular. Shezu's mind was occupied by only a single thought and she was not going to let anyone get in the way. _I'm going to kill the Emperor._


	23. Chapter 20 The Power of Forgiveness

**The Power of Forgiveness**

"What are you saying?" Zahn grumbled to the officer who had answered his call.

Something was wrong. Apparently a squad of soldiers had gone out at night to retrieve the rest of the genetically enhanced children, against the orders of Mithras. But he was growing tired of Mithras and the EAF. It was better _not_ to put them on missions that didn't involve blasting everything to smithereens. He had ordered them not to be harmed.

"She escaped Your Eminence. We don't know exactly what happened but those soldiers they… We found their bodies, mutilated, some of them ripped apart. We don't know how she did it. She didn't just kill them. She utterly slaughtered them."

Zahn snorted derisively, crossing his arms, trying to decide the best course of action. He couldn't believe they were talking about a girl here. If she single-handedly killed five EAF elite warriors, then what exactly was she capable of?

"Are you sure that this is a girl we're talking about?" he asked.

"That is correct my lord" the Sogowan Commander confirmed.

"There is one more thing. One of the five soldiers that went after her, is still alive, if you could call it that. We don't know what's keeping him."

Zahn frowned, flattening an ear.

"Explain. What happened?"

He noticed the officer hesitated, obviously having seen the survivor himself.

"Well, to start with something, he's paralyzed below his middle. Almost every bone in his tail is shattered."

He paused and swallowed.

"Yes?" Zahn asked, not sure if he wanted to hear the rest.

"My lord, that's not even the worst of it. They found him on the ground next to a tree, barely alive. She… She did something to his brain. She messed things up completely. Some kind of short circuit, leaving just enough inside of him to keep him alive but nothing more. If you ask me, he's better off dead."

Zahn heaved a sigh, shaking his head. _What have I done? _He had to admit to himself, it was his order. He wanted the EAF to hunt them down, figuring they might pose a threat to everyone else if they went mad just like the original test subjects of Galen's experiments. He had been convinced that it was the right decision at that time but now he was having his doubts about it. In some way, he was indirectly responsible for the deaths of those soldiers and the irreversible condition of the one still alive.

"Did you get any information out of him at all?"

The Commander shook his head.

"My lord, when he's not sleeping, he's just sitting, drooling all over himself, wetting his pants. Sometimes he mutters something indistinct. It is hopeless. The doctors have no idea what she did to him. They are considering euthanasia."

He paused for a moment.

"However the few words we were able to decipher are 'Ta'keth' and 'girl'. That's why we have reason to believe that she's on her way to the city. For all we know she could be there at any moment. It's already been a few hours ago and it happened not far from your location."

"Where are the others of her kind? Where's Galen?" Zahn asked immediately.

If she was going to take her revenge, he had one chance. He was not going to run away like a coward. A true warrior didn't run for anything but maybe there was one thing that would change her mind.

"They are here at the base my lord."

"Good, cause I want them here _yesterday._"

"I beg your pardon Your Eminence?" the warrior replied a bit shocked.

"Commander, is there something wrong with your hearing?"

"No, my lord. But with all due respect, they are dangerous. I'm not sure if bringing them all to the palace is -how do I put this?- the right course of action."

"I don't need you to decide the right course of action Commander" Zahn grumbled.

"Now be a good soldier and bring them to my palace."

"Yes my lord" the Mantrin said with a slight bow.

"Oh and Commander? You can tell General Mithras that he is relieved of command until further notice. As of now, you are his replacement. You report directly to me and to me only. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly my lord. Thank you."

"Excellent. Zahn out."

The Emperor let out a deep sigh when the 'end transmission message' flashed on the screen, reflecting his own image back at him.

"_I'm getting too old for this" _he thought, lashing his tail back and forth.

He wasn't that old but at moments like these he had the feeling he was the ruler of the Empire from the beginning of its existence. He was not old. He was just growing immensely tired of people who were not following his explicit orders. But he was worried, and not without just any reason, about recent developments. That girl was extremely dangerous and not afraid to kill anymore. He had to get the others here and fast or there was a pretty good chance he was going to have to answer for the deaths of more innocents.

"You sent for me my lord?" Jola said, falling on one knee in front of his Emperor to show his respect.

Zahn wasn't the type of person who demanded the utmost respect from anyone who dared to enter the throne hall. Jola was one person in particular who had taken a special place inside his circle of trust. The crossbreed Mantrin was young, very loyal and prepared to give his life at any given time to ensure the safety of the Imperial family. He could only hope for him, that it would never be necessary.

"Please stand Jola" he said, signaling the Palace Guard to stand up.

Resting the dead end of his energy lance on the tiled floor, Jola stood up, not looking directly into the Emperor's eyes. He had already seen in Zahn's brightly colored eyes when he entered that something was wrong and he had chosen him for the job of making it better.

"I have received word from EAF Command that we have a situation on our hands" he said slowly, not sure how to put it.

He didn't know what to expect either but didn't want to create too much unrest.

"There is a girl on the loose. A girl who was genetically engineered and given psycho-kinetic powers. She is considered extremely dangerous and she might be on her way towards the city."

"What do you want me to do my lord?" Jola asked, confidently straightening his back.

Zahn gave him a wry smile.

"Nothing special Jola. But I want you to alert city security. Please make sure to tell them that if they spot her, that they do _nothing_ to interfere. Have them keep all civilians out of her way."

Jola remained silent for a moment, twitching an ear. It didn't sound too good to him. _Is it wrong to question the Emperor's decision? _

"Well?" Zahn grumbled a little impatient.

"Forgive me for asking my lord but, wouldn't it be best to see if we can try to stop her? Do we know what she's up to?"

Zahn smiled again, a little less wry this time.

"I understand your concern Jola, but if you do as I say, no more innocent people will become her target. She's very angry, angry at the people who hurt her. She's angry at _me_."

"With all due respect Your Eminence, you and your family could be in danger. Shall I alert the rest of the guards?"

Zahn slightly tilted his head, flattening an ear.

"Jola? Are you questioning me?"

"Of course not my lord. Forgive me if I did."

"Just carry out your mission. I will be fine."

Actually Jola did not agree with him. He could hear the worries in his voice, see it in his eyes but he didn't dare to object again. The Emperor had turned his body ninety degrees, staring outside over the balcony to the city, letting him know that the discussion was closed.

"Yes my lord" he eventually said, leaving the throne hall.

Of course he would carry out his Emperor's wishes but he couldn't let it rest. Something told him that he had to do something. If that girl came here to kill the Emperor, she had to get through him first.

It was in the early afternoon on this warm day that Stith decided to go outside and really enjoy the nice warm weather for one more time. Today, she and Kero were going to take a look aboard the new Son of the Empire. She was up there, in space dock, in orbit of Sogowa III. According to Rilas, it was the most beautiful ship he'd ever seen but of course he said that about the first one too. She had already traded in her casual clothes for the red long-sleeved uniform shirt and matching pants of the Imperial Guard. The female version of the uniform shirt was shorter and left part of her muscular belly exposed, although it didn't appear so muscular anymore. Her pregnancy really showed and Kero was actually a bit worried if it was such a good idea to return to duty while she was still carrying Mantries.

"Nonsense" she had said.

"I feel fine."

That was true, for the most part. Some moments she felt fine but at others, mostly in the morning, she suffered from the occasional annoying little aches that seemed to appear and disappear at random. The little pains were one thing, but the nausea? She _hated_ it. But the fresh air and the sweet smell of the palace gardens did wonders to the way she felt and to her mood. It was warm, a little too warm maybe but she decided to enjoy it for as long as possible. In less than twenty-four hours it would be recycled air and artificial lighting again and the only suns she would see would be dozens of lightyears away. Walking through the gardens, taking deep breaths through her nose, listening to the splashing sound of water from the fountains and the twittering of birds, she suddenly spotted him. Her dad had found her exact spot, in the shade of the nicest tree in the entire garden. At first notice she thought he was sleeping but when she approached him, she noticed he was just doing the thing she had in mind. He was lying with his back against the trunk, eyes closed, his head resting on his hands, his legs spread as far as the joints allowed it. His chest was slowly going up and down until he flicked an ear when he heard someone's approach. Stith couldn't help but smile when he opened an eye, greeting her with a smirk.

"Dad, that's my spot!" she said with a laugh.

Her father looked around, a little exaggerated, until he shrugged.

"I don't see any signs with 'Stith's spot' on it."

Moving aside a little, to make some room for her next to him in the shade, he gestured her to sit down. It still took her some time to adjust to the fact that this Mantrin was really her dad. They hadn't talked much after what happened last night. She hadn't cried that much since she was just a little girl. But this time he was there to comfort her. Ganyu had decided not to start talking about what happened in all those years when they were separated. He didn't want to hurt his daughter even more.

"That uniform looks good on you" he complimented.

Stith frowned.

"Yeah, when I'm _not_ pregnant" she muttered, sitting down in the soft grass next to him.

It was very pleasant in the shade. The sun was shining at full strength and temperatures were up to around thirty-five degrees. But here, in the shade of the blossoming _Moyala_ tree -the largest one in the entire garden- in company with her father, she felt like leaning back and forget about the whole fact that duty called. Her father was wearing his uniform too. Kero had invited him to come with them and visit the ship. Of course he accepted and was he very proud of his daughter that she was assigned to such a magnificent starship, and as the tactical officer too! Ganyu sighed.

"I can hardly believe it. In about a year I'm going to be called grandpa."

He chuckled.

"I already feel old just thinking about it."

"Oh c'mon dad, you're not old" Stith laughed.

She moved up closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. It didn't take long before she felt him nuzzling between her ears.

"You're my dad and you always will be."

He gently flung an arm around her shoulder, pressing her softly against him.

"I'm so glad I found you. I can't thank Kirliya enough for giving you back to me. All those years."

Stith remained silent. She didn't really want to talk about this right now but then she _did_ want to know. She had been curious about him ever since he said he was her father but now that she was certain that he was, she did want to know what happened to him.

"What happened to you dad? What did you do when you came back?"

Ganyu sighed, letting go of his daughter, turning a little so he could talk to her.

"It all began with that darned mission" he said, looking up at sky, remembering the night when he left home.

Solbrecht's night sky had been clear, the air slightly chilly and outer space had been waiting for him. He had turned around for one last time, to see Mestral standing in the door opening, the tears he didn't want her to see welling up in his eyes. It had been so hard for him to leave his wife and five-months-old daughter behind. He didn't even know how long he would stay away.

"You must know Stith that our life in the Solbrecht colony was not bad, it wasn't really good either but we had what we needed. We had you and that was the most important thing. Your mother and I both worked, I was a young officer in the Imperial Guard and she, well I think you know."

"Yeah, she was a warrior" Stith said, feeling proud of it.

"She's always been one, deep inside of her" her father said with a laugh.

"We both wanted to keep doing what we did best. I can very well remember that I was actually the one who stayed at home to take care of you when you were a Mantry. Don't understand me wrong. Your mother loved you very much but right after you were born she returned to duty here on Sogowa and didn't return for two whole months."

He shook his head, smiling.

"Yeah, she was quite the fighter. When she returned, we had a few moments rest. You know, warriors of the EAF don't have to complain about money. But eventually, one of us had to return to duty again and this time it was my turn. I promised her that I would come back soon but that turned out to be a mistake. I already told you what happened next. I came home, after three-and-a-half years for Kirliya's sake, only to find out that my wife and child were gone. The strangest thing was, that no one had seen or heard of you two. The house was sold. The people who bought it were actually quite nice but unfortunately knew nothing about the previous owners. I tried to find your mother and you until I eventually found out that she died in battle, on Solbrecht during a Drej attack on the human colonies there."

He snorted, pulling a handful of grass out of the ground, opening his hand to let the blades been carried away by the mild breeze that was unable take them very far.

"Protecting humans. What was she thinking? It's their own fault that their planet was destroyed. They shouldn't have provoked the Drej. And all they did was attracting the Drej to other worlds with their presence."

Stith suddenly backed away from him, as if he slapped her. She couldn't believe what he just said and especially the tone at which he said it. It almost sounded like contempt.

"No dad, they didn't. The Drej destroyed their world because they were afraid that the humans might become stronger as a race then they were. And they were right. Haven't the humans demonstrated that they are always looking for a way to cooperate with others? To work together on a better future? The alliance is good example of that."

Ganyu heaved a mild sigh, having to admit that his daughter had a point there.

"I'm only saying that they endangered other races with their presence. There were a few thousand humans on Solbrecht at that time but I've heard that their number grew to more than five million when their planet was destroyed. Chancellor Jaxor took an awfully big risk by letting so many survivors stay on the planet. I heard there was lot of opposition and not without reason. The Drej could have sent their mothership to destroy Solbrecht too."

He paused and closed the subject.

"But enough about humans. When I found out that your mother died I kept looking for you. I couldn't give up hope just yet. I just knew you had to be alive somewhere. But with the limited resources I had, I had to return to duty again soon. I never gave up hope. I kept searching, trying to find out where you were until I eventually saw you. I couldn't believe it at first but sure I recognized by own daughter, even if I hadn't seen you in years. And here you are."

He flashed her a big toothy smile. Bringing his beak closer to her face, he gave her a soft lick.

"Now it's your turn."

Taking a deep breath, trying to come up with a good place to start, Stith told him her life's story. How her mother had to go away more and more often and left her with friends of hers who were happy to take care of her. How she missed her so intensely. In the mean time Ganyu listened, sometimes giving a response on a particular matter.

"She just did what she had to do dad. I was too young to realize it back then. I only wanted her with me but she did what was best for me, even if that meant that she couldn't see me for weeks."

"She was in need of money" her father said, feeling guilty.

Stith nodded, continuing her story. Eventually her mother took her to Sogowa. She hated it there. She had no friends and neither did her mom. And to make matters worse, a strange Mantrin came to her one day to tell her that her mother would never come back again. Then it happened. She returned to Solbrecht where she had spent hours crying herself to sleep every night in an orphanage. She told him how she was eventually adopted. And how she was taken and lived her life with a particular conservative group of her own people who were feared by most races on Solbrecht. After she finally got away from there she had tried to make a living for herself. Even joined the Imperial Guard for a short while until she quit and began her own weapon shop on the world on which she was born, Solbrecht. She had a difficult life but it wasn't over yet. She told her dad how she met Akima and Ishaq and what she did for a living until they ran into Korso. Her father was bit shocked.

"You made friends with humans?" he asked, flattening an ear.

His voice had that odd tone again, a tone Stith didn't like.

"You could have been killed. The Drej were on a hunt for them."

"Dad, Akima was and is still my best friend. I found a friend in her in this galaxy where no one risks his neck for anyone. I was already glad that someone wanted to be my friend."

Her father sighed. At least she grew up most of her life among her own people. He didn't like the idea of her living among people other than her own. She had to be with her own kind.

"Well, about our people on Solbrecht, I'm sure they taught you well. At least they could teach you about our culture, our customs and our beliefs."

Stith backed away from him further. She couldn't believe what he was saying. _Is he a hater? Or is he just suffering from some weird form of xenophobia? _

"No dad, they have no respect for others. Some of them have no decency at all. Those who dared to enter the area where they lived and were not Mantrin risked being killed. Y-You're not one of them are you? Are you a hater?"

Her father shook his head and sighed yet again. She didn't fully understand. The Mantrins who lived in the colonies among members of other races slowly adapted their lifestyle. They forgot about who they were, about their heritage, about being the children of Kirliya. Some of them even mated with other races, a practice he thought of as disgusting. The children were a combination of two substantially different races. One of the more common crossbreeds was the child of a Mantrin and an Akrennian and was commonly known as a Mantrennian. These creatures were gradually becoming a new race of their own, most of them having the legs of a Mantrin and to a lesser or larger extent having several Akrennian features, such as larger and sharper fangs or horns on their snouts. Ganyu was already horrified by the thought alone. It was unnatural, a mutilation of their species and he wasn't the only one thinking about it that way.

"No Stith, I'm not one of them but I think they are right to a certain degree. We cannot let our species be…"

The rest of his sentence was lost in the sound of an explosion that ripped through the peaceful and silent environment of the palace gardens like a blade. Stith immediately jumped to her feet and cocked her ears, trying to see something through the gates surrounding the palace grounds. Her sight was blocked for the most part by bushes and trees and at first sight she couldn't see much.

"Was that an explosion?" she asked, although she more or less knew the answer.

He father stood up too, brushing the grass off his pants.

"It sure sounds like one" he answered.

"It looks like it's coming from the city. Something's happened."

The question was: What happened? Ta'keth was quite a trouble free city. Poverty was practically non-existent, there were no gangs in town and crime rates were among the lowest in the entire spiral arm. It was pretty hard trying to catch someone committing a crime worse than petty theft. It could have been an accident. But before Stith and Ganyu were able to figure out what happened they heard one of the guards calling. The Mantrin ran as fast as his legs could carry him to ensure their safety.

"Princess! Princess, something happened! It might be best for you and your father to return to the palace."

"Well, that sounds serious" Stith murmured.

"At least we know it's not just an accident."

"It might be better to do as he says" her father said, following the guard, urging his daughter to come with them. He didn't want anything to happen to her.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Stith asked the guard, who was speaking to his fellow guards via his wristcom.

"Yes, Princess Stith and her father are safe. I'm taking them back inside now. Everyone be prepared to protect the Emperor and his family."

"Whoa, whoa what's going on?" Stith asked, now more than a little worried.

"Protect us from what?"

The guard turned around when they were almost at the main entrance of the palace. He was obviously shocked and signaled them to keep walking while he activated his energy lance. With the push of a button the spherical tip of the decorated weapon began to glow with a white-bluish shine, emitting a soft low hum.

"Please Princess, she's coming. Stay inside where we can protect you."

"Who's coming?" Stith asked, feeling her father pulling her arm, urging her to come.

The guard flattened his ears in his neck, staring into the direction of the gates when he replied.

"I have no idea."

"Get out of my way!" Shezu yelled, throwing the bodies of the guards defending the closed main gate away like puppets.

The crackling energy of their lance weapons collided with her psychic shield, the energy being dispersed over its surface without penetrating the bubble. In the middle of this bubble was Shezu, hovering a few centimeters off the ground, using her energy to move. They stared back at her, their faces a mixture of fear and anger but most of all fear. One of them grabbed his still active weapon and aimed again. With a tug Shezu pulled the weapon from his hands, turning it around so that the glowing tip was now directed at the owner. He tried to crawl backwards away from her, threatened with his own weapon, hovering in front of him, a scream escaping his beak. Shezu's face pulled into a grin when she reached out to him, feeling his fear. But instead of killing him, she raised the temperature of the weapon's powercell to the critical point. The lance exploded with loud bang, the force of the explosion knocking the guard unconscious. Shezu smirked, when she stared at the motionless bodies. Neither one of them was dead. Though she felt an anger beyond anything she had ever felt, she still had a sense of decency. These Mantrins had done nothing to her. They were simply ordered to defend the person who did.

"_Someone's gonna pay"_ she thought vilely.

These futile attempts to stop her were pathetic. How were they going to stop the most powerful being in the entire galaxy? Reaching out to the gate in front of her, feeling the cold steel, its molecular structure she began to manipulate it using her powers. In a fraction of a second, part of the gate -large enough to allow her through- was torn out, the metal twisting and screeching. The force field generators overloaded resulting in a shower of sparks raining down on the paved road. Without hesitating, Shezu propelled herself forward through the hole in the gate, surrounded by her tiny electric storm of psycho-kinetic energy. It was time to finally face the person who was responsible.

"The'lah what's going on?" Stith asked her when she arrived in the throne hall where all of the Tiraya family were gathered.

She could smell something was not right. The'lah and Zahn were arguing about something and their sons just didn't know what to do. They hadn't picked anyone's side and thought that maybe the best thing they could do was stay out of it.

"She is angry at me!" Zahn growled.

"She believes I am the one responsible for all her trouble."

Stith didn't know if he lowered the volume of his voice just because she and her father arrived but why was he arguing with his wife?

"Is that true?" The'lah demanded to know.

She was agitated too judging by the sound of her voice. She had her arms crossed, her tail was lashing back and forth and it almost appeared as if she was going to beat the answer out of her husband. Zahn let his head hang with a sad gesture.

"I don't know" he said.

"But I have the feeling I am. I'm sorry dear."

"Well maybe she'll calm down if you offer her your sincere apologies" The'lah replied, expecting nothing less from him.

If her mate was responsible for harming a child… She couldn't believe that he would do that. He was stubborn, goofy and a little annoying sometimes but hurting other people? That was not her Zahn.

"Believe me if I say I would do nothing rather than that but I'm not sure if she's still willing to listen to reason. She already killed four people and I don't want to see her add you or anyone else to that list."

The'lah sighed. She was a little out of options too. Her mate had gotten himself into a most perilous situation and he was now trying the best he could not to drag his family into it as well.

"Hey what's going on?" Stith asked.

"Stith" Kero said, walking up to her, enclosing her in his arms.

"Your father-in-law has hurt someone and now he has to face the consequences" The'lah grumbled.

"That person, whoever she is, is very angry and is now she's her to take her revenge."

"What?" Stith asked, unable to believe what she was saying.

But before she could inquire more about this weird situation, Jola came running up the stairs leading to the throne hall, panting, his energy lance in his right hand, the panic on his face. He slipped to a halt in front of his Emperor, trying to catch his breath.

"My lord, we have to go. It's dangerous. She's coming and-"

"Wrong!" the voice of a young girl yelled from the direction of the entrance.

"She's already here!"

Stith had the feeling that she was frozen in time for a moment. In the tall door opening between the stone doors 'stood' a girl. She estimated that the girl couldn't be older than twelve, maybe even younger. She was a mixture of two races, one of her parents definitely being a Fjetahna, judging by the slightly curly golden, silvery-streaked hair falling on her shoulders and because of her darker beak. Her body was partially covered by a collection of colorful cloth wrappings, mostly worn by the members of the many primitive tribes on their planet. They were torn in some places and the girl herself was injured too. Her skin was scratched and the wound on her right cheek had bled only recently. But the thing that frightened her and nailed her to her spot were her eyes that burned with an intense anger. And the electric shocks crawling over her hands and arms. She noticed that the girl had been hovering a few centimeters above the tiled floor until she eventually lowered herself to the ground between the two guards standing near the entrance. The two Mantrins charged their weapons and aimed for the girl standing between them.

"You guys are a real pain in the ass, aren't you?" she shouted, lashing out with her powers.

They were lifted off the floor before they could fire a shot and were slammed against the nearest wall, rendering them both unconscious, their weapons clanging against the floor. Zahn, who watched this happen felt powerless. If she wanted to kill him, there was nothing he could do. But he could still try to save his family.

"Please, you don't wanna do this" he said.

He was the first one who said something and he immediately had her attention. But instead of listening she bared her teeth at him.

"The hell I don't! But you're leaving me no choice!"

"Never!" Jola growled, placing himself between her and the Emperor.

"Jola no!" Zahn yelled.

But before he could do anything, the girl heaved the young Mantrin's body off the floor, leaving him kicking and screaming in midair. An invisible blow from the front knocked out his light, leaving his head hanging. Then his body was gracelessly tossed aside, hitting the floor with a sickening sound when his arm twisted in an unnatural position.

"Jola!" Zahn yelled.

"You better start concerning yourself with your own life!" Shezu shouted.

Zahn screamed loudly and grabbed his arm when a loud crack reached his ears and a white-hot pain shot through his right forearm. She was torturing him without even laying a finger on him.

"Please, I mean you no harm" he panted, his teeth clenched together.

"Too bad for you I can't say the same" she replied, snapping her fingers, breaking the second bone.

The pain was so intense that the Emperor fell on his knees in front of her, writhing in agony. His family had to watch. Kero and Rajah had to watch how their father was tortured by this child. The'lah was watching too, silent tears rolling down her cheeks. She was about to lose her husband and yet she was terrified to do something.

"Father!" Kero yelled, letting go of Stith.

He couldn't let this happen. He was not going to watch his father die without doing anything. But it was his younger brother who reacted first. Rajah listened to his anger and pulled a vibro-blade from the sheath around his left middle leg segment. Activating it, the weapon began to hum, the high-frequency vibration allowing it to cut through almost anything with ease.

"I'm not going to let you kill my father!" he growled, running towards her with his knife in his hands, ready to separate her head from the rest of her body.

Of course Shezu had seen it coming, watching the black Mantrin bump into the barrier of energy protecting her body. With a simple gesture she launched him backwards with such force that he ended up in the other end of the throne hall. He lost the vibro-blade somewhere in the process, the sound of the weapon hitting the floor being lost in his growls of pain.

"Rajah" Zahn brought out between his growls.

He looked up into the girl's eyes, only to find not even a hint of mercy in them.

"Please listen to me" he groaned.

"I made a mistake. I have been wrong and I'm sorry."

"Shut up!" she yelled, this time breaking a bone in his finger.

"One more word and I'll double the amount of bones in your body!"

She was angry but started to cry at the same time, the tears rolling down her cheeks. However, her voice had nothing but anger in it.

"You are responsible for my family being hurt! You sent those soldiers to our house, didn't you?"

"I-I never wanted for anyone to get hurt, believe me" Zahn cried.

"Didn't you?" she repeated, putting a high level of strain on the next bone.

"I did, sooorry. Please. If you must kill me then do so, but don't hurt my family."

"Kill you?" Shezu asked.

"I'll grind you to dust!"

Using her hands to control her energy, she heaved Zahn off the ground and battered him with his back against the wall on the opposite of the room. His feet were no longer touching the ground and he was hanging helplessly into her grip. Stars were dancing in front of his eyes and he began to panic when she slowly began to squeeze his throat, leaving just enough room for him to speak.

"Please, I wanna help you. I know you can never forgive me for what I did but let me take you to your family."

"Liar! Just how big of a fool do you take me for?" Shezu cried.

Zahn screamed again and he could smell the ozone when the electrifying energy emitted by her fingers hit his chest. The pain was unbearable. He could only hope that she would leave the rest of his family alone once she ended his life.

"Please" The'lah suddenly said.

She sunk on her knees in front of the girl, begging her to stop. The tears were streaming down her face. She couldn't watch her husband suffer anymore. It was too much.

"I'm begging you. You are not a killer. Killing will resolve nothing."

"Stop playing on my conscience!" Shezu yelled, directing her attention at the Goureg Mantrinesse, allowing Zahn who was still pressed flat against the wall by her energy, a little more room to breathe.

Suddenly The'lah grabbed her head and screamed in agony. The pain was blinding. For a moment she saw nothing but black in front of her eyes, her head feeling like it was three sizes too small for her brain.

"Mother!" Kero yelled, falling on his knees in front of her, desperately trying if he could do something to alleviate the pain.

"Stop it! You're killing her!" he wailed, holding his mother in his arms.

"If I tried to kill her, she would already be dead!" Shezu replied mercilessly.

She turned her head towards the Emperor again, her eyes flashing in his direction, burning with hatred.

"Now about you."

Zahn almost choked. He could barely breathe let alone speak but she still expected him to answer.

"You wanted to kill us! You sent them after us!"

"I did no such thing" Zahn could barely bring out.

"I wanted to make sure they were all right. I tried to do what I could. In fact, I've ordered the EAF to bring your father and the other children to the palace in an instant. They should be here soon."

"Liar! I wish everyone would stop lying to me!" Shezu wailed.

"He is not lying" Stith finally said.

The girl flicked her ears, turning around to the Sogowan Mantrinesse who carefully approached her.

"Stith no!" Ganyu said, fearing for the life of his daughter and her unborn children.

If the girl directed her anger at his daughter, they might get hurt. He couldn't let that happen.

"Who are you?" Shezu asked suspiciously.

Of course she had seen this insignificant Mantrinesse when she entered the room but her father had never told her about someone of the Imperial family named Stith. It was unimportant anyway. If she tried to get in the way, she would see the same fate as the others. But there was something about her that kept her from doing so, even when she approached her.

"Someone who wants to help you, if you let me" Stith replied sincerely.

She suddenly gasped for breath when the girl entered her mind, learning everything she needed to know about her in a few seconds.

"No!" Ganyu said, wanted to grab Stith's arm and bring her to safety.

"It's okay dad" Stith said calmly, not showing her fear.

Shezu was surprised when she dug into Stith's deepest memories. This young woman had been through a lot. She felt a great sadness growing inside of this Mantrinesse and in herself when she touched some of those memories. _She knows. _She knew what it was like to lose people close to her and that withheld her from hurting her. She carried two young children. Even though she could still feel a very strong anger inside of her, she couldn't even think about hurting children.

"What are you saying?" she said, not paying any more attention to the Emperor who still couldn't breathe.

Suddenly she wasn't so sure anymore. What if she was about to kill an innocent?

"The Mantrin you're about to kill would never harm someone, especially not children. When he learned about the way your brothers and sisters were being treated via Rajah over there, he did what he could to put an end to it. I know that, because he is my father-in-law."

She was struck by the sincerity of her words. She was so convinced that the Emperor was responsible for her brothers and sisters being hurt, that the only thing she wanted to do was make him pay. She didn't even want to believe what he was saying. She only wanted to make him suffer. And now, it turned out that she had been wrong.

"No" she sobbed.

"Yes" Stith said, now standing close to the small girl.

"Please, let him go. He was trying to help you all."

With a slight hesitation she lowered the energy field holding Zahn against the wall. The Emperor was nearly unconscious because of the lack of oxygen and collapsed to the floor when there was nothing to hold him anymore. He gasped for breath and let out a last scream when his broken arm hit the ground. He coughed so violently that Stith was afraid that his lungs would come out. In the mean time, Shezu fell on her knees, the tears splattering on the tiled floor. She was so blinded by anger and revenge that she nearly killed an innocent person. A person who in fact did what he could to help. She didn't want to live this life anymore. Everyone would see her as the monster that nearly killed the Emperor. Stith couldn't watch. While Kero, The'lah and Rajah attended to their father and the other injured people in the room and called for a doctor, she lowered herself near the girl and laid a hand on her shoulder. She was dirty and she smelled but Stith didn't care about that.

"It's all right" she whispered, pressing her softly against her chest.

Shezu looked up, tears streaming down her face. Stith noticed that they were both a different color, the left one dull green, the other icy blue. She wiped her tears away with her hand, softly brushing through her hair.

"Why don't you just kill me?" she wailed.

Stith shook her head, wrapping her arms around the girl as a sort of protection.

"I'm not going to kill a child."

And that was what she was. If you took away her powers and her anger, she was just a confused and frightened young girl that needed love and friendship just like everyone else.

"What is your name?"

"Shezu" she whimpered.

"Shezu. That's a very beautiful name. I'm Stith."

"Is she all right?" Ganyu asked his daughter, who was still holding the girl in her arms.

Stith nodded. Suddenly she heard the sound of engines droning outside. When she directed her attention at the balcony she watched a trans-atmospheric shuttle begin its descend towards the ground. In a few moments Shezu, her brothers and sisters and her father would go back to being family again, as it should be.


	24. Chapter 21 The First Signs of Trouble

**The First Signs of Trouble**

Asath-Yvanu knew that the absence of a War Leader was going to cause trouble at some point in time. The violent emotional outbursts they all suffered from because of their severed connection to _The Way_ could lay waste to his carefully laid out battleplans. At least Zekh-Asovash was able to control himself in the heat of battle and had yet again proven himself to be a reliable asset. Eniiv-Ulhanow on the other hand had proven himself to be a weak-minded fool and nothing more. Those who couldn't keep their emotions under control were useless to him. The incident was two days ago, in their timetable but he still had to suppress some anger over it. He was standing in the war room, the other members of the head of three with him, meditating separately from the rest of the Seraphim warriors. They were in the adjacent temple, preparing themselves for the next phase of his plan and the first step towards a new Seraphim Order.

"_No more delays" _he thought, determined to begin the next phase within the next two days.

The resources on that remote planet they had used as a training ground were most useful and they had one new ACU ready. However, he needed at least two more if he wanted to invade the first occupied world and guarantee a success rate of more than eighty-nine percent. Depending on the resistance, the planet could be conquered by a single experienced Commander in a few weeks.

"Status on the ACU's, Zekh-Asovash?" he asked rather suddenly, disturbing his brother's meditation, something that was instantly audible in the tone of his voice.

Bringing up a status screen on the floating holographic display by touching his long fingers to the similar control panel he was able to interface directly with the construction area of the base.

"ACU's two and three are at respectively fifty-four and twenty-nine percent completion."

His bright green eyes flashed into Asath-Yvanu's direction, a clear anger present in them.

"We can't continue construction on numbers four and five until we can claim more resources. At this rate it will certainly take another forty-eight hours."

"Then we will wait for forty-eight hours" Asath-Yvanu replied harshly.

"No more mistakes. No more delays."

"You can be sure of that" Zekh-Asovash replied, grinning maliciously.

These new ACU's had been upgraded with a new feature that allowed them to keep more control over their Commanders after deployment. A remote control system that, once active, ignored all commands given by the Commander and allowed him or his brothers to power down, recall or eliminate an ACU by the press of a button. This system was incapable of handling large amounts of complex commands so a pilot was still required but in case of an emergency it could come in handy.

"Asath-Yvanu" Otho-Ivotha said, immediately having his brother's attention.

"What is it?" he grumbled.

"That ship we detected two days ago. It's still here, patrolling our perimeter. I think it is safe to assume that the indigenous races of this quadrant are aware of our presence."

"Show me."

Transferring the view to the outer walls, a vessel appeared on screen. It was fairly large, well-armed but Asath-Yvanu was unimpressed. The primitive beings that occupied this quadrant were eons behind in their technology. As expected it didn't pose a threat to his plans in the least. A vicious grin spread across his face when an amusing thought crossed his mind.

"How many of your ships are ready?" he asked, his lips still curled into that toothy grin.

"Enough to turn that ship into dust before they even have the chance to fire a shot."

Asath-Yvanu hesitated for a moment. Eliminating this insignificant little pest was an option but one that could put their enemies on alert. They knew something was going on, though not exactly what. However if Otho-Ivotha was right, they wouldn't even be able to send a distress call. The tone of his voice had something evil in it when he replied.

"Destroy them."

Preed always thought it would be fun to be a commanding officer. Advising your Captain, be at her side at all times and of course ordering people around. But he hadn't taken the responsibilities into account. Ayko expected a lot more from him, as her executive officer but also as her boyfriend and mate-to-be. She really believed in him but as a Commander he had to earn his respect. If he wanted to be her mate, he had to. He couldn't believe that her father had temporarily assigned her brother to her ship, to keep an eye out and to judge of he was worthy enough to join his clan. According to Ayko, her brother was nothing but a nuisance but Preed himself was not planning to make the mistake of taking him too lightly.

"Aaahh!" Preed groaned when Ayko's fangs penetrated his flesh, thirsty for blood.

The bite snapped him back to the present in an instant. He almost forgot that he was lying on top of Ayko, on her bed in her quarters. Since there was not much else to do around since Command had ordered the _N'gara_ to remain on patrol duty and keep her eyes peeled, she had taken some time off. A mysterious laugh had played on her lips when she was certain that nobody could see or hear them and she had dragged him to her quarters in an instant. In her private space she had tossed him on the bed and unleashed the monster of love inside of her. However she was a little agitated that Preed didn't seem to have as much energy as she did. Preed looked from his shoulder, where four little holes began to ooze blood, into Ayko's deep orange eyes which flickered with annoyance.

"Preed, why are your thoughts always drifting at the other end of the galaxy when we're making love?" she grumbled.

He actually felt a little guilty over it. He had been looking forward to these moments but something was bothering him. Something that prevented her from unleashing the beast inside of him.

"I'm sorry my dear. It's just…"

"Just what?" she said, licking over his wounds before his blood could make more red spots on the sheets.

He replied by letting out a sigh, not sure how to explain this to her. She would give him the same answer anyway.

"Preed, I'm growing tired of this tedious patrol job and I wanted to have a little fun but if you're not up for it."

She already began to push him off of her with one hand.

"No wait" he said quickly, grabbing her hand and bringing it to his beak.

"Don't go yet."

"Are we going to do this or not?" she grunted.

"You betcha!" he replied playfully, that spark she wanted to see finally appearing in his eyes.

He kissed her, long and passionately and then it turned into a battle.

"I'm sorry for that" he breathed in her neck.

"Don't mention it" she replied, grabbing his head, shutting him up by pressing her lips on his.

She didn't know why she was so helplessly in love with this guy. With the passing of time, she had stopped trying to find out. The game they began to play was a fight for the 'top' position. Though Ayko was quite muscular and stronger than him, Preed was not going to give up so easily.

"Oh, are we going to play rough?" Ayko asked with a laugh, wrapping her legs around his waist to topple him over.

"We are already playing rough" Preed panted.

A couple of moments later, she was lying on his chest with her head, her long ears tickling in his neck. Feeling her warm breath against his skin, Preed closed his eyes. How he loved these moments with her, wishing they would never pass. You could say a lot from her but she was the type of female he always wanted. Beautiful, strong-willed and maybe the factors wealthy and powerful played a role too. That was Ayko. He almost began to drift to sleep until a sudden shockwave spread itself through the ship, the dimmed lights in Ayko's quarters flickering. At first he thought it could just be another blown relay, just like the other ones they had in the past few days since they left space dock. But this one sounded different. He had but one ear left, but it was functioning perfectly and the source of that shockwave was not something that happened on the inside. He knew for certain when another one, heftier this time, struck the _N'gara_.

"What was that?" Ayko asked, a little sleepy but irritatedly.

Apparently she had fallen asleep and hadn't heard the first one. Hearing an alarm blare through the corridors, Preed's suspicions were confirmed.

"Red Alert. Captain to the bridge. All hands, report to battlestations. This is not a drill. Repeat…"

The rest of the sentence was lost when Ayko expressed her annoyance and jumped to her feet.

"Darn it!" she growled.

Shaking the sleepy feeling off of her, she turned her head towards her First Officer with a tug.

"To the bridge, now!" she snarled, added deeds to her words before they were over her lips.

She didn't have to say that a second time. The lights flickered again when, whoever was attacking, fired another blast or projectile, which was caught by the vessel's shields. A small eruption of sparks rained down from the ceiling when one of the power relays blew out. Jick'chii, who had been snoozing on the couch in the living area of Ayko's quarters, screeched loudly and angrily flapped her wings when the small explosion disturbed her nap.

"Ohh, sorry sweet Jick'chii. I have to go" Ayko cooed while softly caressing the Krach'thaa's neck.

The animal howled softly and turned two yellow eyes filled with pity towards her owner.

"Be safe" she said, placing a soft kiss on Jick'chii's head.

She produced a soft purr and jumped off the couch to find a safer spot for the time being.

"_We barely got this thing operational-ish"_ Preed thought annoyingly.

Now all their work would be shot to bits again. But judging by the increasing intensity of the attacks, the state of the ship was not the immediate thing he had to be concerned about.

"How many ships?" Ayko tried to yell above the noise when she arrived on the bridge.

She had to grab hold of something and decided to pick one of her officers when the next blast tried to force its way through their raised shields. Preed nearly got knocked off his feet as well and grabbed the back of his chair in an attempt to evade the shower of sparks that rained down on the deck next to him.

"Shields down to eighty-five percent!" the new tactical officer, going by the name of Kheitran reported.

His skin had an unusual dark blue color with his belly, chest and neck being of a lighter shade. The eyes were a bright green which really contrasted with the overall dark color of his skin. His ears were quite long and Preed noticed that the right one missed its tip and the other one had a blaster hole in it. He was quite muscular and obviously better trained then most other members of the crew.

"Lucky guy" Preed thought, feeling the absence of his own right ear.

But now was not really the time to feel nostalgic about missing body parts. Trying to act quickly in this chaos, he found his chair and tried to assess the situation.

"Five vessels, at our six!" Iyu shouted back at her Captain, who in the mean time managed to find her seat.

"Get them on screen!" Ayko ordered.

"Evasive maneuvers! Return fire!"

Fortunately the crew hadn't been sleeping while she was off duty and had seen the enemy ships coming in time before they could fire their first shot. Their weapons were powerful and could have easily taken out their weapons array or worse, if their shields hadn't been raised. The images taken by the aft sensors corresponded with what Ayko already thought. The attackers shared the same usual design characteristics as the ones they'd encountered before. Yellowish veins which seemed to give off light of their own, patterned over a shiny armored surface, covering a sleek asymmetric design without a single sharp edge. Weapon systems and engines were visible only on Iyu's sensors, as if the designers had done everything not to disturb the sleekness of their work. Those who were amazed by their beauty would soon fall prey to their weapons.

"They're firing again!" Iyu warned the rest of the crew, bracing herself for impact.

Her words were instantly followed by a series of flashes on the main viewer when bursts of crackling energy, which didn't seem to have just one single color, tried to catch up with their target.

"Hold on!" Trynan said between clenched teeth, while he fought with the helm to force the ship into a maneuver the inertial dampeners couldn't entirely keep up with, attempting to evade the blasts.

He partially succeeded but the enemy ships were fast and agile and adjusted their angle of attack to compensate. A series of blasts hit the _N'gara_'s top shield resulting in secondary explosions inside when they were unable to compensate.

"Shields are at fifty-two percent! Warp engines are offline!" Kheitran growled.

"We can't take many more hits like that!"

Ramming her fists on the armrests of her chair Ayko made a frustrated sound that held the middle between a growl and a shout. She cursed violently but was in no way afraid to face death. If she died in battle at least it would be with honor. But she had no intention of dying today. Gamma-Chelentii was a system without many places of interest. There were no asteroid belts so they couldn't let them dodge a few of those in the mean time and the nebula was most likely the place where they were coming from so entering the gas cloud was about roughly the same as stepping into a Drengalian viper pit.

"_C'mon, think!" _she thought, grinding her teeth.

Her tactical officer was having trouble dealing with these pests. Getting a lock was difficult enough but they were excellent dodgers and so far he had only managed to destroy one of them and damage another. The second one eventually died with a small explosion which scattered the pieces all over the available space when a barrage of the _N'gara_'s missiles nailed the outer hull.

"Three more vessels closing in on our location!" Iyu warned her.

"They're locking weapons!"

"Sokarr!" Ayko shouted.

Her brother was clearly surprised that she actually acknowledged his presence on her bridge. Nonetheless, this time it could be a matter of life and death so he readied himself to follow whatever order she was about to give him.

"Send out a general distress call to all ships within range. Use everything you need to get it out."

"Yes Captain" her brother replied with a nod.

She could only hope that they weren't jamming all the frequencies, otherwise the next phase of her plan could take a very long time.

"This is the Akrennian warship _N'gara _to all ships within range. We are under attack! Request immediate assistance! Shields are failing! Repeat…"

"Iyu, what's the composition of the nearest gas giant?" Ayko asked.

Her words were partially lost when the next series of hits impacted on the weakened shields.

"We're losing our shields!" Kheitran growled.

Another explosion followed, heftier this time making the ship tremble under the sudden force.

"Hull breach on deck six! Forcefields are in place but at this rate, I don't know if I can keep those up for long!"

"Keep firing! Iyu, the nearest planet?"

"Primarily helium, hydrogen, some methane. Nothing in particular" she yelled back.

"Trynan! Set a course for that planet. Maximum burn! Sokarr did you get that distress call out?"

"I believe so Captain" her brother replied.

"But if they're jamming us I doubt that-"

"Good enough!" his sister interrupted.

"I guess we'll have to take that risk."

With the weapons being ineffective and warp engines offline, they had no other option but to run at sub-light speeds and hide. She didn't want to run like a coward but they had to take this information back to Command. A new threat was born, maybe even greater than what they'd faced before. That nebula was capable of hiding an unimaginable amount of ships and maybe it did. They had to get back to Akrennia sooner or later.

They were nearing the planet when the enemy vessels, which were obviously not planning to let go of their wounded prey, were within weapons range again and fired.

"Divert more power to aft shields!" Ayko ordered.

"They're almost gone" Kheitran replied.

Another explosion followed and another. They were about to finish them off.

"Another hull breach. Deck eight! Forcefields are offline! We're venting atmosphere!"

"Seal off that section! Get everyone out!"

Kheitran shook his head.

"The bulkheads are not responding!"

_C'mon, hold it together for just a little longer! _She hoped this piece of junk was still up for the next part. With every hull breach, her plan became more and more dangerous. It was their only chance. If it didn't work, the whole ship would implode like a tin can.

"Seal off that deck as soon as everyone's out! Divert all power to the shields, including life-support if you have to, except for the engines!"

"Trynan! Who much longer?"

"Just a few more seconds!" the furred Akrennian yelled.

"But our engines have taken damage! They're overloading!"

"Keep going!"

They were approaching the planet's atmosphere when Sokarr finally realized what his sister was up to.

"_She can't be serious" _he thought shockingly, watching the sea of whirling orange yellowish gasses come closer.

"Captain? Are you suggesting that we enter the atmosphere?"

Ayko grinned and shot him a dirty look.

"I'm not _suggesting_ anything Lieutenant. I'm ordering Trynan to take us in there."

Sparks showered down on the deck between him and his sister. This might be their only chance but it was suicide. If he were Captain he would have gone down fighting.

"Ay… Captain, our hull integrity is severely compromised. If we enter the planet's atmosphere we could be crushed. If I were Captain I would-"

"But you are not!" she spat back.

"I must object to this course of action!" he continued.

"Your objection has been noted! You follow my orders, just like everyone else on this bridge. Now if I hear one more word from you I'll kill you where you stand!"

Sokarr's eyes narrowed to slits, as if he was challenging her to put up a fight here and now.

"You wouldn't dare" he hissed.

"Dare me" Ayko spat back.

For a moment, all they did was exchange dirty looks until they were interrupted by Trynan.

"Brace for impact!" he yelled, bringing the ship to a more parallel course with the atmosphere, trying not to crush the forward sections on touch.

The ship trembled violently when it penetrated the first layers of gas at speeds far too high for atmospheric entry. The friction with the thick, compact layers of compressed hydrogen was putting a lot of strain on the damaged outer hull when Trynan took the battered Akrennian warship deeper down into the upper atmosphere. Conduits blew out, monitors flickered and rains of sparks showered down on the deck plating.

"She can't take much more of this!" Kheitran shouted, watching the pressure on the outer hull rise to dangerously high levels.

"Slow us down!" Ayko ordered.

"Divert more power to the structural integrity fields! Trynan, take us into a stable orbit!"

The furred Akrennian shook his head, tapping buttons on the flickering console but without much success.

"Engines are not responding!"

"Then cut power! Use the thrusters!" his Captain yelled back.

Drifting further on her gained momentum, the _N'gara _gradually slowed down, the thrusters fighting against gravity and the enormous turbulence caused by the different gas layers to try and get the ship into a more or less stable orbit. Struggling with the controls and limited by the use of thrusters only, Trynan had his hands full. However the next explosion was not caused by environmental hazards. Switching the main viewer into the direction of the blast, it appeared that three of the enemy vessels had followed them in and were locking weapons for another salvo.

"They've followed us in!" Iyu said.

"They really don't know when to quit, do they?" Ayko grumbled.

She was a little out of options. Quick maneuvering in a gas giant's atmosphere was virtually impossible, not to mention that their engines were damaged. On the other hand, firing weapons was dangerous for both sides. Charged particle beams and other energy weapons could accidentally ignite pockets of hydrogen gas which in large quantities could cause severe damage. This made combat a little trickier.

"Take us down. Divert all available power to shields and structural integrity fields."

"Captain I strongly recommend that we don't lose any more altitude. We have two breaches already and our hull is severely compromised" Kheitran objected.

"I'm aware of the risks Lieutenant" Ayko growled, leaving no room for any more objections.

"Trynan, you heard me. Take us down."

"Yes ma'am" Trynan replied hesitantly, doing as she said.

The ship was hit again, this time not by weapons fire but by the shockwave caused by an explosion. When Iyu switched views to the source of the blast, it turned out that one of the enemy vessels had been destroyed by firing its own weapons too close to a pocket of hydrogen. The remaining pieces of debris were crushed by the immense pressure from the hostile environment. Now there were just two of them left, but it seemed that they were having trouble locking weapons.

"Must be the electromagnetic interference" Kheitran said.

"My targeting scanners are having trouble too."

"Just a few more seconds" Ayko said, as the ship descended further and further into the planet's atmosphere.

Cocking her ears, she could hear the hull plating groaning softly in protest. _C'mon, you're stronger than they are. _She braced herself again when one of the two ships circled around again and fired. However the blast missed its target again and instead hit another pocket of hydrogen, sending a shockwave at the _N'gara _which made the ship tremble lightly.

"Come on baby" she muttered between clenched teeth.

The groaning and screeching of buckling metal became louder now.

"Captain?" Preed warned her, tapping on his console.

"The bulkheads in the breached sections are about to collapse. If we lose them, the whole ship could be crushed."

"I am aware of that" Ayko snarled, carefully pronouncing each word.

"Come on."

Then it suddenly happened. One of the enemy ships seemed to have lost control, trembling violently when the atmosphere forced its way into the hull, eventually ripping it apart in an explosion and crushing the remains. According to Iyu they didn't seem to have a crew so what they saw was simply the end of a remote controlled hollow shell. It was something that frustrated Ayko. They couldn't even get back at those who dared to attack an Akrennian warship. The second vessel was destroyed in the same manor, the explosion of its reactor creating a brief white-bluish flash against the orange background.

"Take us up! Quick!" she ordered, giving Trynan the order he had been waiting for.

The hull started to produce sounds that sounded dangerously close to breaching. She could clearly hear some members of her crew heave a sigh of relief.

"By the Gods, I thought we were goners" one of them said.

"We're not out of the woods yet" she replied, her eyes flashing in his direction.

"I bet they're waiting for us to come out. We may be forced to remain hidden until help arrives."

"With all due respect Captain, that could take days if they didn't receive our distress call" Iyu said.

"Well, it seems you have a better plan Miss Iyu. If you would be so kind to tell us about it?" Iyu slowly turned her head away from her Captain, her ears sagging a bit.

"I'm sorry Captain."

"Then keep your mouth shut."

Slowly but surely, the ship climbed out of the atmosphere. In the mean time Trynan had one of the impulse engines working. The others were too badly damaged and couldn't be used until next time they were in space dock.

"Anything on sensors? Are they still out there?"

"Not that I can detect yet Captain. There's too much interference from the atmosphere."

They were almost out when the unthinkable happened. The last impulse engine broke down with a sound that made Ayko ask herself if they still had the aft section. The sudden shockwave surprised everyone and knocked an unsuspecting crewmember of his feet.

"Stabilize!" Ayko yelled, watching the environment turn circles around them on the screen.

"Thrusters are down" Trynan replied, throwing his arms in the air in annoyance.

"Get 'em back!"

Ayko cursed. _Almost! _They were almost out and now this had to happen in the end. Adrift in the atmosphere of a gas giant was kind of a problem. She was well aware of the consequences if Trynan couldn't get the thrusters back online. They would sink deeper and deeper until they would overcome the same fate as those ships which had just served as examples. While her crew did everything they could to get the engines back online, Sokarr began to laugh. First it was soft, then it became louder and a little hysterical.

"Great! Well done sister. You've killed us all. We could have at least died with honor if we hadn't run like cowards. Now we're all going to be crushed to a size that isn't even visible for the naked eye to see. This is pretty hilarious actually cause…"

He abruptly shut his beak when the cold metal of a blaster made contact with his left cheek. When he turned to face the owner of the weapon he wasn't really surprised to see that his sister was the one with her finger on the trigger. This time he might have gone a little too far, judging by the look in her eyes, which had narrowed to slits.

"Give me one good reason" she hissed venomously.

"I can't get any of our drive systems back online" Trynan said with a little panic in his voice.

The longer the lack of any propulsion lasted, the faster they would sink to their deaths. Gas giants had a pretty strong gravitational field and this one was no exception. If they kept sinking at this rate, the hull would collapse under the pressure in less than forty-five minutes.

"Bridge to engineering!" Ayko yelled, with the muzzle of her weapon still sealed off by her brother's skin.

"Yes Captain" her Chief engineer replied via the com, which was amazingly enough still in working order.

Preed's one ear could pick up the sound of crewmembers screaming and yelling orders on the background as well as the sounds of small explosions. On his monitor he could see that damage control teams had already been dispatched to the areas of the ship that had taken the most damage. The bridge had been spared for the most part but apparently, main engineering hadn't lived through the attack as well as they did.

"I want those engines back _now_!"

"I'm sorry Captain, we're trying the best we can but our repair teams are having trouble getting access to the maintenance tunnels. It's crazy in here! The whole place has come down on us. I've lost three of my people in the attack and there's no one who has been spared from any injury."

"I'm very sorry Commander" Ayko replied coldly.

"May I remind you that if you don't get those engines back online within forty minutes, you'll suffer more than just another injury. But you better start worrying about _me_ because if I don't have those engines back in twenty, _I_ will come down and then I'll have to find myself a new Chief engineer. Is that understood?"

"Yes Captain" her crewmember replied after some hesitation.

"Good! Ayko out."

Slowly, she directed her attention back at her brother. If he were afraid of her, he was good at hiding it, but the look in his eyes betrayed him. He knew his sister. She wouldn't hesitate to end someone's life if that option seemed more beneficial than the others. But it was extremely hard to determine what she would do if her own brother was the one looking in the muzzle of her gun. Sure she was capable enough, but could she really be so emotionless?

"Any last words?" she asked viciously.

She noticed her whole crew had stopped doing what they were doing, despite their current situation and openly stared at the scene unfolding itself.

"You really are going to kill me, are you?" Sokarr asked, unable to filter out the quiver in his voice.

He couldn't believe it. Killed by his own sister. He had already accepted his own answer to the question but Ayko however did not.

"No!" she grumbled.

Sokarr caught himself just in time when he hit the deck and tasted blood. Blinking a few times to make the stars dancing in front of his eyes disappear he came to the conclusion that his sister was not as cold-hearted and emotionless as he thought. Wiping the blood off his beak with the back of his hand, he scrambled back to his feet.

"Preed?" Ayko asked with an exaggeratedly kind voice.

"Would you be so kind to escort my dearest brother to the brig?"

"My pleasure Captain" Preed replied, pulling his own blaster and using it to force Sokarr to walk in front of him.

The dark brown Akrennian shot Ayko a last vicious look when he forced its way past her. When her executive officer disappeared behind the turbolift doors, she noticed that her crew was still staring at her, as if they'd just seen her turn inside out or something like that.

"What are you all looking at? Get back to work!" she barked.

"I'm afraid we're just gonna have to sit this one out. If we can get the engines back online we remain hidden until help arrives. The dense atmosphere and frequent electromagnetic storms will hide us from the enemy's sensors, so they can't pinpoint our exact location."

She wasn't exactly sure about the last one, but she was hoping they indeed couldn't. The other problem was that the electromagnetic interference from the gas giant's atmosphere was also interfering with their own systems. If they wanted to be sure that help had arrived, they had to rise to the upper hydrogen layer and launch a probe to increase sensor effectiveness. In turn, the disadvantage of launching a probe was that it could give away their position to patrolling enemies. It was risky but nevertheless their only chance.

"I've got thrusters back!" Trynan said with a hint of what sounded like joy in his voice.

"But I don't know for how long."

"Take us up again" Ayko ordered.

If it would come to a fight in their attempt to escape this solar system, they could at least try to make sufficient repairs. She had the feeling they were gonna need more than a little luck to get out of this situation.

"You really are enjoying this, aren't you" Sokarr spat, walking towards the brig with Preed's gun pointed at his back.

"A little maybe" Preed admitted a little absent-mindedly.

He had more important things to worry about than quarreling with Ayko's brother. The ship was a mess. He was constantly busy evading exposed conduits and members of the crew working on repairing damaged systems. They had no eye for him so he had to make sure not to get in their way.

"She picked you on purpose…" Sokarr continued while climbing over a collapsed bulkhead,

"…to humiliate me. She could've just taken someone from security."

"Keep moving" Preed grumbled when Sokarr stalled, not really listening to what he had to say.

He knew Sokarr was in some way right. He had no reason to hate the young Akrennian. Every brother teases his sister when she brings her new boyfriend home. That was just what brothers did and he didn't take it personally.

"Kinda funny actually. I first wanted to ask her what she sees in you but now I'm more interested in knowing what you see in her. Isn't she a little too rough for you?"

"Shut up and keep walking."

Sokarr let out a laugh.

"I don't think you're such a tough guy. I was already afraid she would come home with some uncivilized brute with bigger muscles than brains."

He chuckled at his own joke.

"Am I in some way glad that you are what you are."

Preed gave it a thought for moment, without slowing down his pace. It didn't seem like Sokarr was planning to start their relationship as the beginning of a war. Maybe he was just unlucky to have a sister with a bad attitude. To be honest, he actually liked that about her. It reminded him of another girl he used to share the same ship with not so long ago.

"Watch out!" someone's voice snapped him back to the messy corridor.

"I'm detecting an overload in the conduit!"

Indeed Preed's one ear picked up the high pitch of a power buildup inside the bulkhead. He jumped just in time when it blew a medium-sized in the wall. He almost lost his balance when the hot shockwave of the blast hit him in the back but managed to keep it when he landed. Repair teams immediately rushed towards the place to contain the leak to prevent the corridor from flooding with gas.

"Well at least nothing seems to be wrong with your reflexes" Sokarr quipped, shrugging.

Preed nodded in his direction, signaling him to keep walking. When they arrived at the brig it was empty. Normally there would be an officer stationed on guard duty to keep an eye on those at the other side of the forcefield but everyone was needed at the moment. They couldn't spare someone to do practically nothing.

"I'm afraid the trip ends here" Preed said, forcing Sokarr inside the left of the three holding cells.

"Aahh, and I was just beginning to enjoy our little conversation" Sokarr said with disappointment in his voice.

"Well from my side at least. You're not much of a talker are you?"

Preed didn't reply and activated the forcefield by the press of a button. The invisible screen jumped up after a slight delay, forming an impenetrable barrier of energy between the four sides of the opening.

"I guess that's a no" Sokarr answered his own question.

He sat down on the metal bench attached to the left wall.

"But it was nice talking to you anyway. Now I'm just going to wait until we all die, alone of course" he said rather casually.

Preed let out a sigh.

"I wish could have met under better circumstances."

"Hey, no hard feelings" Sokarr said, lying down on his back.

"My sister is just too damn stubborn to realize her own mistake. And no, I'm _not_ talking about her relationship with you."

Preed couldn't help but smile faintly, although he hid it from Sokarr. Maybe he wasn't so bad and now he was actually starting to feel a little uneasy about having to lock him up. But orders were orders and not following those of Ayko would make him join Sokarr, and he didn't like the guy _that _much. Without a reply to his last remark, Preed left the brig and headed back to the bridge. Against all odds, he had talked to Sokarr without turning it into a total fiasco. Who knows. Maybe they could even be friends, provided the Gods allowed them to survive this day.


	25. Chapter 22 Colonial Defense Coalition

**Colonial Defense Coalition**

It was in the late afternoon when Cale walked over the pedestrian bridges covering the immense depths of the _Heliopolis_, on his way to his apartment on the twenty-third floor. Akima was waiting for him and a quick look on his wristcom was enough to tell him that Iji would be coming home from school soon. The _Valkyrie_ hadn't left space dock since the last meeting of the Senate and she wasn't the only ship. Space was not exactly the safest place at the moment. It never had been but the imminence of war was on everyone's mind right now. Korso had told his crew that Command had already been speaking about refitting the fleet for war again. He had hoped it wouldn't come to that but according to those who had witnessed the might of the Seraphim for themselves it was inevitable. The problem was that they now had a rebellious teenage Vusstran girl to take care of. Finding her a school had already been a disaster because she didn't want to. He and Akima had spent hours trying to convince her that it was important to continue her education until she finally gave in, with a loud flare of her nostril slits, and agreed to try it next day. Ever since then she complained when she came home from classes, about how boring it was and how stupid her classmates were.

"Don't worry. Once you have a few friends, you'll start liking it" Akima had said.

Iji however was less than convinced. She spend a lot of time in her room in private and when he or Akima knocked on the door they rarely received an answer and if she even replied she made clear that she wanted to be left alone. Akima thought that Iji was trying to come to terms with her sorrow about the loss of her father all alone.

"It's not good" she had said.

"We should talk to her about it."

But whenever they tried, she replied agitated and didn't want to talk about it. Cale knew that the girl was going through a difficult time. After all, he lost his father when he was just a little boy and the only thing he ever saw from him again was an image of him captured on holo. The great Sam Tucker died in his attempt to hide the Titan and thereby humanity's only hope for a better future and a new home. He didn't understand back then. He was too young and resented his dad for not being there for him. Now, he was proud of his father cause if it weren't for his courage and determination, humanity would still be living on the edge of extinction. Shaking the thought of his own father out of his mind, Cale continued on his way, resolving once more to try and talk to his alien sister.

During the walk home, he came past various establishments, shops and people from all kinds of different species. One of the things that attracted Cale's attention, was that the city -that never really slept because some species had an entirely different way of living- was rapidly beginning to fill up with holo billboards and other creative- and sometimes annoying- ways of advertisement. In some cases, a scanner inside the billboard retrieved his identity from his wristcom and adapted the commercials to address him formally, in an attempt to make it more personal. The result was annoying and sometimes could even be called insultive.

"_There should be law against this" _he thought, after the last board tried to lure him into the nearby alien restaurant.

But there was nothing illegal about advertising. It was amazing how many different alien cultures mixed here on New Earth because their respective members didn't have a place to call home. And because they were mostly free to begin an establishment or shop of their own here in this city and others, they did, resulting in a vast collection to choose from. However, the openness of New Earth to every honest person also had its drawbacks. Interplanetary law dictated that any wanted criminals who were captured here on New Earth had to be returned to their respective worlds to stand trial for their crimes, or brought to justice by an ambassador. Therefore, any newcomers had to go through inspection when they arrived to prevent New Earth from becoming the next safe haven for fugitives, pirates and criminals. It was because of that, that all of New Earth's citizens, both humans and aliens could live peaceful lives, isolated from the rest of a not so hospitable galaxy.

Placing his hand on the biometric scanner next to the door of the apartment, the door was supposed to unlock to let him in. However, as soon as the scanner passed over his head to conform his identity, the light flashed red.

"Ah, not again! Stupid thing!" Cale cursed, after trying again with the same result.

He really needed to take a look at that thing and fix it. Of course he could just call someone from Tech. It would probably be fixed in less than five minutes, or have the whole unit replaced but he just had something with broken machinery.

"_I'm going to fix this thing right away" _he thought.

"Akima? It's me!" he called, while knocking on the door.

A couple of seconds later, his wife opened the door, smiling. She was wearing casual clothes just like he did and didn't stop smiling when he entered.

"Hey beauty" he said lovely, placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"Cale, I thought you were going to have that thing fixed" she said, suppressing laugh.

"I'm going to do it right now" he whispered in her ear.

But when he entered the living room of the roomy apartment, he hadn't expected the visitor, sitting on the couch, smiling to him.

"Captain, I hadn't expected you."

Despite the _Valkyrie_ being in space dock, Korso was still in uniform, as if he were expecting something, ready to respond instantly. It made Cale a little nervous. Korso responded to Cale's stiff greeting with a laugh, his eyes having a friendly twinkle. Crossing his one leg over the other he leaned back on the couch and greeted him the usual way.

"Cale, just call me Joe or Joseph. We're not on duty, yet."

"Then why are you in uniform? No, no, don't say anything. Command wants us to risk our necks again to gather more intel, is that it?"

Korso shook his head, still smiling. But it was Akima who replied. Sitting down on the other couch, grabbing her muck of warm fragrant tea to warm her hands she took a sip first, concluding it was still too warm to drink.

"Joe thinks that today is the day. Command has been notified to bring everything in perfect order for the arrival of the Coalition."

"They don't know what to expect" Korso jumped on her words.

"But these people have dealt with the Seraphim before and survived. They drove them back to their quantum realm and rebuilt their civilization under a single banner. The war with the Seraphim united what was left of the three remnants of humanity and made them stronger than ever."

"Well that's… great news, right?" Cale asked carefully.

Korso nodded, raising his cup of coffee to his lips.

"It is, and Command expects me to be there when they arrive. Akima told me that you didn't receive a call but if you happen to receive one after, I want you to report to me immediately. This could be important because the Coalition expects our full cooperation if we want their support in this conflict."

"Understood" Cale replied, preparing himself to change clothes because he already knew he would receive that call anyway.

But first he was going to fix that bio-scanner. That was his plan until a Vusstran girl slammed the front door shut behind her and went to her room without saying a word. They heard the bang of a second door and something that could only be a loaded backpack hitting the floor.

Cale and Akima exchanged puzzled looks until Korso finally said: "Well, I think I should leave."

He too had seen the tears on the girl's face and concluded the obvious. Something happened. Something he didn't want to be part of.

"We'll see you later Joseph" Akima said, walking with Korso to the door to let him out.

"Are you going to have a word with her or am I?" Cale asked, not exactly looking forward to a long and difficult talk with the teenage girl.

"Cale, she's your sister" Akima said, closing the front door with a soft click.

"Hey, I know you never expected to assume a father-like role so soon but if you want kids, you're gonna have to do this sooner or later."

Cale sighed. He had seen the look on Iji's face. In fact, he could hear her sob softly right about now. It was difficult for her to adjust to a life without her dad but he knew she was strong. She always knew everything better and wasn't the type of person to give up after a first try. But this time he had the feeling it was something different.

"I'll give it a try but I'm not so good at these things."

"No one is, but you are her brother. I think you can support her better than I can."

Feeling her supportive hand on his shoulder, he knew he could do this. But fixing broken equipment was a lot easier than fixing a girl's broken heart.

"If it really doesn't work, I'll help you. I'll help her. C'mon Cale, she needs you more than ever now."

"You're right" Cale said, doing the first steps toward the door of Iji's room.

When he carefully knocked on the door, he didn't get a reply instantly, like always. He could hear her cry softly and couldn't do else but feel sorry for her. It was so hard for her. Life could be unfair and you just had to deal with it but at moments like these it was hard to pull yourself together and move along. It was still too fresh.

"Iji?" Cale asked carefully, knocking on the door once more, a little harder this time.

"Iji, it's me Cale. Are you all right?"

"Go away" she sobbed.

"You don't like me either. Nobody does."

"No Iji, that's ridiculous. I am your brother."

Cale was a little shocked by her reply. He was now more determined than ever to find out what happened. It sounded serious. He didn't want to go against her wishes but he felt the urge just to rush in and hold her. Apparently the loss of her father had hit her harder than he thought and something made it worse.

"No, just go away. Leave me alone."

"Iji please" he pleaded.

Akima who was watching from a small distance also felt sorry for her. She just couldn't take it when people cried, for any reason. She had lost family too and knew what it was like. But her grandmother didn't want her to feel miserable about her death and so she respected Miwa's last wishes. It would only make her stronger in difficult times.

When Iji didn't reply he grabbed the door handle and slowly opened the door, glad that she hadn't locked him out. The room was a little dark, with the curtains almost closed, allowing only a narrow slit of sunlight in. What he found was his alien sister, crying on her bed, two big round eyes filled with tears that continued to stream down her leather-like face.

"Just go away" she repeated, burying her face in the pillow.

"Iji, please tell me what happened."

Sitting down on the bed, he touched her shoulder, feeling her shiver softly.

"Iji, you're hurting me. I don't want to see you hurt."

When she finally turned her face towards him, wiping her eyes on her sleeve, she replied a little angry. Her words made Cale think if he ever said something that might have hurt his sister.

"What do you care? I'm not even your race."

"That has absolutely nothing to do with it."

"But it does!" she sobbed.

"Nobody loves me. They all hate me."

"Who hates you? How could they? Are you talking about your classmates?"

When she nodded he began to get an idea what this was about. It didn't have something to do with the loss of her father. Teasing had always been a problem at schools. In every class, in every grade and on every world. There were always one or two people others liked to make fun of and unfortunately Iji had become the target in her class.

"_Why does it have to be her?"_ Cale thought, flinging an arm around his sister's shoulders.

Tek had always said that Iji was insufferably cute for a member of her race and even now that she was older she still had that same laugh and a hint of that cuteness over her.

"What did those mean kids say about you?"

"Cale I'm not a baby anymore" she said, a little indignant about his childish choice of words.

"Sorry. What did they say?"

She sniffled, still trying to dry her tears, without much success.

"That boy. He laughed at me. He said I was fat. And then everyone else started laughing."

She began to cry again, with her hands covering her eyes. Cale softly stroke her head and tried to come up with something to say. It wasn't true. Iji wasn't fat for a member of her species but Vusstrans had a larger average build than most other races. The only other word that came up in his mind was 'chubby', but he figured using that word to describe her would do more harm than good.

"See? You think it's true too" she said when he didn't reply immediately.

"That's not true Iji" Cale replied.

It wasn't but something had to be done about it. The problem with kids was that if they're told something long enough, they eventually start believing it. And when that happened they would try anything to make it stop.

"What else did they say? Don't tell me you're being bullied just because of that."

"No. That boy is the worst. He said that I don't have real parents because they thought I'm ugly and that they dumped me with humans just to get rid of me."

"What a rotten thing to say" Cale said, feeling himself get angry over it.

How could they say things like that? They were only getting along with each other for a few days and they already decided that this poor girl was the next target of their bullying. It was strange that things like this were allowed by teachers. But most of the time these things happened outside the lessons, between classes and at moments the teacher wasn't paying attention.

"You know what? I'm going to talk to your tutor about this. Tomorrow, before you're going to school okay?"

That would teach the bullies a lesson. He knew almost certain that it would work. Especially since her tutor was a Mantrin and a pretty big one too.

"No, don't do that" she said, throwing herself against his chest.

"Then they'll hate me even more."

"Iji, if you don't tell anyone but me about it, it won't stop. They'll keep saying mean things to you and then you'll never want to go to school again. I don't want you to be unhappy."

"All right" she said hesitantly, wiping across her face for the tenth time.

"Hey, tell me, from what race is that boy?"

Iji gave him a sour smile.

"Can you guess?" Cale smiled back, caressing her wet cheek.

"I think I have an idea."

They just sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, brother and sister. Each from a different race but with a love for each other that could easily overcome such boundaries. He grew up with her and despite being annoying sometimes, Cale had grown quite fond of her, even loved her, like a brother loved his sister. A few moments later Akima peeked around the corner of the doorway, finding them still sitting next to each other, Cale with his arm around his sister's shoulder.

"Hey, are you all right?" she asked.

Iji nodded, managing to produce a faint smile on her beak-like snout. Sitting down on her other side, pulling a lock of purple-and-black hair out of her face, she rubbed the Vusstran girl's back.

"Do you love me?" she suddenly asked.

"Of course I do" Akima replied.

If she even took the time to about it, it was hardly noticeable. She was Cale's sister and in the few days they spend together she had already decided that she liked the stubborn alien girl. She had her mood swings sometimes but she was a sweet and caring person. She didn't want to be such a burden to her human caretakers and even though Cale and Akima told her a dozen times that she was not, she still wasn't entirely convinced.

"Thank you" Iji said, now finding comfort by Akima.

"Thank you so much for taking of me."

"That's okay. You don't have to thank us. We couldn't let you become an orphan. That's horrible."

"Besides, you're my sister" Cale added.

He just wanted to get up and fix that bio-scanner until his wristcom beeped. He could hear the chime of Akima's one, lying on the table in the living room, too. His feeling that it would have to wait again was confirmed when he held the device up before his face and the holo projected the message in front of him.

"It's a request" Cale said when he read the first line.

"To attend to the meeting of the Senate. It says we have to report to our Commanding officer as soon as possible. The ships carrying the delegates of the Coalition have arrived. The meeting will begin in one hour. They want to get this thing started as soon as possible, at the request of our guests."

He turned his head towards his wife.

"Why do they want _us_ to attend? I'm sure there're lots of other people who can be of more help than we do."

"Don't forget Cale, most humans still see us as the Founders of New Earth."

"Yeah, and thanks to your father's research, my dad could make our world a better place again" Iji added with a smirk.

It weren't the words but her smile that made Cale feel happier. At least she smiled again, genuinely. And he had to admit, they both did have a point, sort of.

"All right, I'll go to the stupid meeting. Let's get dressed."

"Well, I'm actually kinda curious Cale. Who are these people? They are humans just like us and yet they are not. They come from an entirely different Earth."

Cale muttered something indistinct. Going to that meeting meant that they had to leave Iji alone. He didn't really want to but not following orders was something he wanted to avoid at all costs. And indeed, he had to admit he was a little curious too.

"Do you think you can be alone all by yourself for an hour or two?" he asked Iji a little teasingly.

His alien sister softly flared her nostrils slits, crossing her arms.

"Hey I'm a big girl Cale. I can take excellent care of myself."

"I'm sure you can" Cale replied, letting some intentional disbelief slip into his voice.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she reacted indignantly.

A couple of seconds later they all laughed. Iji followed Cale and Akima back to the living room where she let herself fall down on the couch and asked the computer to turn on the 'TV', trying to find something enjoyable to watch. In the mean time Cale and Akima traded in their casual clothes for the navy blue uniform of the Republican fleet. The dress uniform -which Cale hated so much because it didn't really fit his age- was pulled out of the closet for this event. About forty-five minutes later they left the apartment -after making Iji promise that she wouldn't open the door for anyone- and took the elevator down to ground level, wondering what was going to happen in the next hour.

The Senate had never been so crowded and noisy before. There weren't enough places for all the important ambassadors, advisors and high ranking military officers of more than a dozen different races. None of them wanted to miss this very important meeting so every square inch of the available space was used. The attendants spread themselves over the walkways, behind the upper rows of seats and across the sides of the stairs between the different sections, just to catch a glimpse of what happened in the circular middle and to follow what was about to be said. Cale and Akima were lucky, having two reserved seats next to Korso and Brian who were already present. That was if they could even get to their seats. They had a lot of trouble getting through, trying not to step on feet, tails or other extensions of the body. Akima and Cale both breathed a sigh of relief when they finally dropped down on the comfortable seats next to Brian. "Glad you could join us" Brian greeted them jovially.

"Commander" Cale replied with a nod.

"Akima, it's good to see you again" a female voice said from behind.

When Akima turned around to face the owner of the voice that sounded warm, friendly and familiar she looked straight into the twinkling brown eyes of Amanda Miller, former member of the New Earth council.

"Amanda, it's been some time."

"Says you. Where have you been?"

Akima let out a laugh.

"Just doing what I do best ma'am."

"Then by all means, you should."

Noticing that it quieted down a bit Akima turned her attention to the circular center of the Senate where Chancellor Laroc prepared himself to speak. The last golden rays of the Andali sun entered the building through the open wall on one side, which allowed the attendants of long and tiresome meetings to breathe fresh air. Normally meetings wouldn't take longer than an hour at most but lately the Senate gathered often, because of the situation and the growing size of the Republic. New member worlds had to be informed about what it meant to be part of such an alliance before they could join. This meeting however, was not about the expansion of the alliance but the future of its existence.

"Where are they?" Cale asked, trying if he could see something over the heads of the people on the row in front of him.

Were they going to show themselves at the last moment? Everyone was tense. He could feel it in the air. Any decision the members of the Coalition would make in the next hour could mean the difference between the continuation of the alliance or its fall and perhaps more. Scanning the rows for any human faces, there was something else that attracted his attention. Jason Pierce was not sitting on his usual spot in the Federation section. In fact, there were a lot of empty seats that should have been occupied by high-ranking Starfleet officers.

"That's odd" he said, nudging Akima to inform her.

"Yeah, I noticed too" Brian, who was sitting on his right said.

"Something happened that forced him and several other Starfleet Captains to leave immediately."

"What happened?"

"Sorry, classified. The Captain's the only one who knows."

He shrugged.

"My best shot is that it has something to do with those ficken Seraphim. I really hope those guys packed some mean guns to shoot 'em back to wherever they came from."

"May I have a moment's silence please?" Chris' voice bellowed through the domed building, amplified by the equipment.

The noise almost immediately quieted down to some whispers and soft chatter, which disappeared quicker than normal. Everyone wanted to hear what was said. Their lives and the lives of their families and perhaps their entire world depended on it. Chris noticed too and cleared his throat to speak.

"Welcome everyone and thank you all for coming."

When the first words were over his lips, the entire Senate fell silent as a whole. This was the moment they had all been waiting for. The people who _could _help them defend against the invaders had come. Now they had to wait for their decision.

"Since we are on a strict timetable it might be best to skip any formalities and get straight to the point. I give you Brigadier General Lance of the United Earth Federation."

A tall man, in blue uniform covered with countless decorations, indicating his status as an experienced war veteran walked towards the center of the Senate, carefully studying the place where he arrived this time. To Cale it appeared as if this was the last place Lance wanted to be at this moment. Judging by the look on his aged face, it was as if he were expecting something, his eyes flashing from left to right, without moving his head. Something in the direction of an assassination attempt perhaps. His gruff exterior concealed one of the most hardened men in the entire UEF military. A short grey mustache and steel-grey eyes with thick eyebrows added to the overall gruffness. He was walking straight, stepping forward without fear, towards Chris, who stepped aside from the small catheter to let him speak. His voice perfectly reflected his appearance, deep and powerful with strength and authority. Cale was glad he wasn't serving under this guy.

"Thank you Chancellor" Lance said, letting his eyes move over the rows upon rows of aliens who were eagerly waiting for what he had to say.

"First of all I want to make something clear. I don't know what you expect us to do about your situation. From what I understand is that you don't know what the Seraphim are up to, how many of them there are and what they're capable of."

He paused, letting his words have their effect on his audience, which all held their breath.

"Well I can tell you this: If you've ever fought in a war, you'll consider that nothing but a quarrel once you've faced the Seraphim in battle. They are relentless, merciless beings who decimate entire worlds leaving not even a single bacterium alive, just because they can. They won't stop until everything they consider a threat is utterly destroyed. After we defeated the Seraphim, we were forced to eliminate every single warrior still in our dimension or face the consequences. If this rogue group has already established a foothold in the region it is of the utmost concern that their presence be removed ASAP. Our universe is being affected by these trans-dimensional rifts as well and we cannot take risks, for we may not survive a second assault by Seraphim forces."

"Now back to the current issue" he continued, clearing his throat.

"You have asked for our help as you do not have the power to defend yourselves. We are prepared to give you that help under one condition. We expect full cooperation on all fronts. If there is something that we need to make sure the Seraphim can't get what they want, you give it to us. In return…" he said, laying some extra volume in his voice as some people began muttering.

They were supposed to help them and now they were coming with demands themselves. Some of them didn't just swallow that. If someone even wanted to protest openly, it was immediately suppressed by Lance's harsh words.

"…in return we will provide immediate aid if one of your worlds happen to fall prey to Seraphim Commanders. It is imperative that Seraphim forces are not allowed to set foot on any resource-rich worlds, as it will accelerate their progress. Is that understood?"

Some people nodded, some confirmed. It was all a bit strange. No one had really expected someone like Lance to be the speaker for the Coalition delegation. Most of them had expected an ambassador or other political leader but not a military Commander.

"As I said…" Lance continued, without waiting for silence.

"…the only thing we expect in return for now is your full cooperation. I want your absolute best of the best military assets ready for the job. Since we are also providing aid to the Federation, we have a limited number of Commanders available. They can't do this all by themselves. They need help. Help from you."

Admiral William Langley, Commander in Chief of the Republican fleet stood up from his seat. He immediately had Lance's attention and the UEF officer recognized him as an equal and addressed him according to his rank.

"Is there something you'd like to say sir?"

"As a matter of fact yes. The name is William Langley, Admiral of the Republic."

"Then by all means Admiral."

"Thank you. General Lance, you want the best of the best soldiers for your battle plan. I would like to discuss this further in more detail."

Lance smiled and produced a sound that sounded like a laugh, though not an unfriendly one.

"As you wish Admiral. But make sure that you select the right men for the job. This is not a game."

"I believe you made that clear General Lance" Langley replied.

"Is he serious?" Cale whispered in Akima's ear.

"Are they going to let us pilot one of those machines?"

"Cale…" Akima answered, moving closer to him to keep her voice down.

"I don't think he means 'us' with the best of the best. I bet there are others far better qualified for this job than we are."

Cale shrugged.

"Why don't they just use those EAF warriors? You know, with the stuff Rajah showed us when we were there, I bet everyone can learn to pilot one of those things in a few minutes." "We were not supposed to tell anyone about that remember?"

"Right" Cale murmured, forgetting about the whole thing.

It was unlikely that Lance trusted any alien with his equipment. The way he looked at all the alien delegates in the Senate, some of which he might even be forced to work with in the near future, was almost xenophobic. But then again. If the first alien race you come across wants to kill you, it was understandable that he didn't want to have anything to do with anyone who didn't come from a planet called Earth.

"Excuse me" a voice interrupted the conversation between Langley and Lance.

It wasn't really surprising that the voice belonged to an Akrennian ambassador who had risen to his feet. He didn't appear to be satisfied with the way things were going and he felt someone had to say something. Why not just him?

"Forgive me for interrupting General, but here's a question for you. Are we supposed to lay the fate of our worlds into the hands of just a group of humans again? Do you know what my government has to say about that?"

Others began to support his words but Lance remained his calm and cool self. He was not planning to let 'others' decide what happened to Coalition property and especially no aliens not. General Hall would have him court-martialled if any Coalition equipment fell into the hands of aliens, no matter how weak or strong they might be.

"If you feel about it that way…" he said coldly, "…then I suggest you leave this meeting and come back when the Seraphim are on your doorstep. Maybe that will make you reconsider. But I'm afraid it will already be too late by then."

Within a moment's notice his words silenced the alien. The Akrennian muttered something indistinct and sat down without further protest. Akrennians certainly weren't intimidated so easily but there was nothing he could say against it. The alien was powerless and he knew it. When the Akrennian ambassador sat down, the rest of those who wanted to open their mouth in protest followed, the urge to say something suddenly disappearing. A satisfied smile crept along Lance's face, barely large enough for anyone to notice. And before anyone could, he turned towards Langley again. _At least humans have a sense of reason._ However, if he had to be really honest to himself, he rather didn't want to lay his life into the hands of someone else either, human or alien, it didn't matter. Lucky for him, he didn't have to make that decision.

"If no one else cares to show off his or her ignorance, then there's nothing left for me to say then that I'm looking forward to our discussion Admiral Langley. But be quick about it, we don't have much time."

"Until then General Lance."

When those last words were spoken, Lance walked back the way he came, without saying a word. No one dared to say something until he completely disappeared out of sight. But when Chris took over again and tried to close to meeting no one really cared anymore. The whole Senate exploded into a clamor when everyone tried to get to the exits as soon as possible. Every alien ambassador wanted to inform his or her government as soon as possible about the current situation and most of them were not too happy about it.

"This is outrageous!" Cale heard someone shout.

"Who does this guy think he is?"

The scratching sound of his translator trying to make sense out of ancient Gauol made clear that even the wise bat-like aliens didn't agree with the way Lance forced the help of his Coalition upon them. He had made clear that he was going to do this his way.

"That went well" Cale remarked, resisting the urge to laugh.

"He could've used a little more tact" Brian added, trying not to get hit by elbows, tails and legs from other people.

"He's a veteran" Korso said.

"I bet he looked into the eyes of death a little too often."

"Now we still don't know anything about what they're going to do about this mess" Cale said a little disappointed.

He had expected a lot of intel, some explanation about who these Coalition people were exactly and he had figured he would have an idea by the end of this meeting about what they were up against and so did everyone else. But instead, Lance basically told them all the stuff they already knew.

"You know, we should go home, it's getting a little late already" Akima urged, trying to break free from the crowd.

The last rays of the Andali sun were struggling to stay above the horizon, fighting against the approaching night. Cale felt the emptiness of his stomach and strangely enough hadn't even thought about dinner until now. Apparently Akima didn't either and she came up with an idea.

"If Iji hasn't plundered the fridge already, maybe we can take her to a restaurant. I've seen a lovely new place and I'm eager to try it. Maybe Iji will cheer up a little if we do something fun with her."

That sounded like a good idea to her husband. Neither one of them was really looking forward to cooking for themselves at this hour and maybe it would help Iji take her mind off things for a moment. He began to look forward to it so much that he'd almost forgotten about Lance and the Coalition when he stepped into one of the crowded transparent turbolifts, holding the hand of his loved one.


	26. Chapter 23 The Truth Unveiled

**The Truth Unveiled**

Shezu had never felt so miserable before. All she saw when she took the lives of those soldiers, were the people who had hurt her brothers and sisters, through a red veil of anger and hatred. Her thirst for revenge had erased every single rational thought from her mind. She had wanted to make them pay. To let them feel the pain they caused on others. But did they really have to die for it? And in such a horrible way? She could hardly believe what she had done. Never thought she would even be capable of murder. Her father always said that it was a bad thing, so that would mean that she was a bad person. And on top of it all, she nearly killed the Emperor, unaware that he had been doing what he could to help her and the others. It just didn't turn out to be the best way.

Looking over the arm of the Mantrinesse named Stith, who still had her arms wrapped around her, she saw that the Emperor was still lying on the ground, clamping the arm that she broke, coughing, surrounded by his family. She had caused so much pain to him and his family, yet they had done nothing to hurt her. Doctors arrived with medical equipment to take care of the injured, and she had left quite a few in her wake. The guards that tried to stop her from making a terrible mistake. She was so thankful that Kirliya had left some sense of reason inside of her, so that she didn't kill so many innocents.

"My lord, let me take care of you" one of the doctors said, falling on his knees beside his Emperor, a shocked expression on his face.

"Please, I'll be fine" Zahn brought out weakly, coughing again.

"Help Jola first. He was trying to protect me with his life."

"Father" Rajah said, with tears in his eyes.

The Prince was glad that his father was alive, despite his failed attempt to save him from a slow and painful death.

"Are you all right my son?" Rajah nodded, touching his beak to his father's.

"Mother. Please get her some help!" Kero yelled.

One of the guards was already back on his feet and Jola seemed to have regained consciousness, growling in pain when he tried to use his arm. They seemed to be doing fine so why weren't they here to help his mother yet?

"Forgive me Prince Kero" one of the doctors said, rushing towards the Empress.

The'lah had become dizzy, her legs no longer capable of carrying her weight. Her son caught her just in time when she collapsed, barely able to stay conscious. The pain in her head was killing her, as if someone put a knife in her brain and was slowly carving it in pieces.

"Thank you Kero" she said, touching her hand to her son's cheek, which felt wet.

He was sitting on his knees, holding her in his strong arms. He didn't know what that girl did to her but it couldn't end like this.

"Please don't take her away from me now" he prayed, squeezing his eyes shut, hoping that when he opened them his mother would be okay.

"I'm losing her!" the doctor said, immediately having the attention of the other doctors who rushed to his aid.

"Mother no!" Rajah cried.

"The'lah, my love!" Zahn growled, using all the strength he could gather to get up.

He had to cease his attempts as the pain was too great. Nothing however could surpass the pain he felt in his hearts when he watched his mate dying in his son's arms.

"What are you saying? Save her!" Kero shouted, a sudden anger appearing out of nowhere.

"I'm doing what I can!" the Orketh doctor said, begging for forgiveness.

Shezu couldn't watch anymore. The'lah was dying because of what she did to her. She noticed Stith's arms were shaking. The male Sogowan, she knew from Stith's mind was her father, named Ganyu, was trying to help where he could. When she looked up she noticed Stith was crying too, silently, soundless tears rolling down her cheeks.

"_I'm the only one who can help her" _Shezu realized.

Releasing herself from Stith's arms, she began to walk slowly, step by step, into the direction of the Goureg Mantrinesse. Maybe she could undo some of the damage she had done. They would never forgive her but it was a step to becoming a better person. She had to do this. Pulling her messy golden hair from her field of vision she carefully approached them. But when Kero got her in his eyesight he exploded with an anger no one had ever seen from him. Even Stith was shocked by his outburst. He was so sweet and had been nothing but kind to everyone around him but the Prince was hurt deep inside his hearts. She had never seen him so infuriated before. His reaction to Shezu's approach was aggressive and hostile and he made clear he didn't want her near his mother.

"Stay away from her!" he shouted.

"You did this!"

"Please, I wanna help her. Let me help."

Her voice was shaking and she started crying again but her sincerity didn't matter. Kero was furious.

"You've done enough already!" he lashed out on her.

"Go away!"

"Kero…" The'lah said, her voice extremely weak now.

"Please, let her try."

"But mom…" he sobbed.

"Trust me. Trust her. Please..."

It was then when she lost consciousness and Kero burst into tears. Stith laid her hand on Shezu's shoulder and now urged her to do what she could.

"Please, if you can help her…"

"I will" Shezu replied, wiping her eyes on her clothes.

She carefully approached The'lah motionless body. She was afraid to look directly in the eyes of her sons. The two brothers could just about kill her right now, especially the one with the scar over his eyelid. Sinking on her knees beside The'lah, carefully placing her clawed hands around her head she reached inside of The'lah, closing her eyes to concentrate. Within a moment's notice she was inside her mind, feeling the presence of her being, her spirit, her soul. But that was not was she was looking for at the moment. Her violent outburst had damaged The'lah's brain, short-circuiting part of the neural pathways. As she began repairing the damage, everyone watched her hands beginning to glow with an icy blue light. She was using her gift again. Using it to save a life, instead of taking one.

"Amazing" one of the doctor's murmured, watching how The'lah's vital signs stabilized themselves on the portable monitor.

The rest simply watched, holding their breath. After a minute or two, the blue glow around Shezu's hands disappeared. Opening her eyes, she removed her hands from The'lah's head and breathed a soft sigh of relief. At first it appeared like nothing happened. But when she slowly opened her eyes, they all let go of that tense moment in their own way. She was still weak and felt extremely tired but she immediately knew who to thank for saving her life. Directing her eyes at the Fjetahna/Sogowan girl who was still sitting beside her, she smiled faintly. Lifting a trembling arm, she closed her hand around Shezu's.

"Thank you. Thank you so much."

Shezu's eyes began to fill themselves with tears again. The'lah was so kind to her. She began to cry again, her shoulders shaking.

"Please, I don't deserve your kindness."

"But you need it more than ever" The'lah whispered.

"You have been hurt. I…"

She groaned softly, reaching for her head.

"Mom" Kero said worriedly.

"It's okay Kero. I just feel so tired. I need to rest."

"It's gonna be okay mom. Let me take you to your room."

But his words were unheard by her. Her eyes had fallen shut and her body had become heavier in his arms. Her chest was slowly going up and down so she was still breathing. His mother was just so tired and disoriented that she couldn't stay awake any longer.

"C'mon brother, help me" Kero said, grabbing his mother under her arms.

Rajah grabbed one of her huge legs and one of the larger doctors the other. Che'kan couldn't take care of all these wounded on his own. As soon as he heard what happened, extra doctors had come from the city as fast as they could to provide medical aid to everyone who had become the victim of Shezu's powers. While Kero and Rajah brought their mother to her room where she could recover, Zahn finally got the medical attention he needed. He just wanted to make sure that everyone else was okay before they got to him. He was sitting on his bottom, growling because of the pain in his arm that was broken in several places. Thumping his tail on the tiled floor, the only thing that mattered to him was his wife at the moment. He wanted to make sure for himself that she was okay, against his doctor's wishes.

"Please my lord" Che'kan said.

"If you would come with me to sickbay we can do something about that arm."

"Not until I've seen my wife" he growled, stamping one clawed foot on the floor in an attempt to get back on his legs.

He succeeded, but only because he was supported. He was still breathing a bit raggedly, his sore throat causing him to cough frequently. Feeling a bit dizzy because of the pain, he placed his hand on the wall for support, trying to make it to the bedroom he shared with his mate. In the mean time, Che'kan signaled his assistants to get a bone regenerator from his infirmary. Why his patients always had to be so stubborn he didn't know but maybe that was just a shared trait among them.

His leave meant that Shezu was left standing in the throne hall with Ganyu and Stith. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to make it up to everyone. In some way. In any way. But she didn't know how and the more she thought about it, the more she realized that it was likely that they would never forgive her. The intense feeling of regret over what had done. It hurt so much, deep inside of her, in both her hearts. She was staring at the floor, her long prehensile tail with the white plume at its tip, drooped down, just as her tufted ears. She was afraid to say something, yet she wanted to tell them so badly how sorry she was about everything. Watching her tears fall down, shattering into a million tiny little droplets when they hit the floor, she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. The voice that accompanied it was Stith's and she wasn't angry. It was warm, soothing, comforting. Before she knew it, she was in her arms again.

"I'm… so… sorry…" she wailed.

"Shhh, I know" Stith whispered in her ear.

Her father came standing next to her, unable to watch the poor child cry. He softly rubbed between her ears, brushing through her golden hair with his claws.

"Can I get you something?" he asked in an as friendly way as possible.

"W-Water" Shezu said, her voice muffled by Stith's chest.

Her throat felt so dry, and she was pretty hungry too. In addition to that her headache was coming back and she had the feeling that this time it would be a pretty nasty one. But what she had never accounted for suddenly happened. Behind Ganyu in the opening between the huge stone doors of the throne hall, a familiar face stared back at her. And that face was surrounded by seven more smaller faces, laughing, smiling, happy to see her. The face of the large Mantrin was her father's and the children, her brothers and sisters were there too. They were all here, safe and well. "Daddy look, it's Shezu!" the little Orketh girl shouted with joy. Slowly detaching herself from Stith, it took Shezu some time to convince herself that it wasn't some strange illusion, created by her powerful mind. They were as real as the joy she felt when they laughed at her and when her father walked up to her.

"Reylyn, Eyza, Reyan" she whispered.

"Shezu, my daughter" her father said, his voice scratching with sorrow.

"Dad" she said, accelerating her step when he approached her with open arms.

"Dad!" she cried, throwing herself against his chest.

"Shezu. Thank Kirliya" Galen said, pressing his daughter firmly against his chest.

"Sister!" Fran laughed, hugging her tightly.

"Group hug!" Reyan yelled, and it didn't take long before they were all around Shezu and their father, wagging their tails.

"Eww, sister you need a bath" Reylyn laughed.

Maybe that was true, but it was something none of them really cared about at the moment. They were together, all of them. But Shezu's grief was strong. Even Stith and Ganyu could feel her sorrow directly because of her telepathic abilities. It was weird. Stith could feel her entire inside turn cold, taking all feelings of happiness away. She was happy for the young girl but her emotions were so strong, they affected everyone currently in the room.

"Dad, I'm so terribly sorry. I… I killed them. I killed them all" Shezu wailed.

"It's… It's all right Shezu" her father tried to comfort her.

"It's not your fault."

"But it is!" she weeped.

"I'm… sorry…"

"Don't cry sister, you're making me sad" Jicko said, with tears in his eyes.

He wiped them off on the clothes he was given by the Trunali. They were all still wearing the colorful wrappings, except for Eyza and Reyan who had been captured before they reached the tribe. While Shezu cried out in her father's arms, the other children got to meet Stith and Ganyu.

"Are you a Princess?" Pynch asked.

Stith smiled back at the Talocaan boy. They all looked pretty normal to her, but their sister had proved that they were a bit more than ordinary children.

"Children" their father warned them.

"It's not nice to probe people's minds without asking."

"But we didn't do it daddy" Reylyn replied, shaking her head.

"She is here in the palace so she must be a Princess."

"That's right little girl" Stith said in a friendly manor.

She lightly rubbed between the little Orketh's ears.

"This Mantrin here is my dad. His name's Ganyu. I'm Stith."

"It is an honor to meet you Princess" Jicko said very solemnly, sinking on one knee to show his respect.

Following their brother's example, the other children sunk on one knee too, making a slight bow for her and Ganyu. Stith never expected that from young children.

"Please children. You don't have to bow for me."

They all laughed back at her.

"They are sweet, aren't they dad" Stith said, looking in her father's eyes.

"Just as sweet as your children are going to be" he replied, smiling.

They both turned around when they heard Zahn's growling voice. He was still clamping his arm and Che'kan was walking at his side, urging him to go to the infirmary.

"I'm glad to see you are all doing well" the Emperor said, still managing to produce his toothy smile.

"My lord, it is an honor to be in your presence" Galen said, making a slight bow with his daughter still in his arms.

"Please don't" Zahn said, gesturing with the hand of his good arm, when the children prepared to bow as well.

"Shezu?" Galen asked his daughter, brushing her hair out of her tearful face.

She nodded vaguely, detaching herself from him. Then she slowly began moving towards Zahn, who glared down his muzzle with a sad look on his face, still clenching his teeth against the pain. She was standing in front of him, at less than half a meter distance, her eyes still flooding with tears. He sucked in his breath when she suddenly buried her face in his belly and begged for forgiveness. Trying to ignore the pain in his right arm, he used the hand of the left one to softly caress her head.

"It is all right my child. I-I'm sorry too. As the Emperor, it is my duty to protect my people. I failed. I should have protected you and your family. I-I made a mistake. Yes, even I make mistakes and I'm not afraid to admit it. Do you think you can forgive me for that?"

Shezu looked up, unable to believe her ears. Was the Emperor asking her for forgiveness? She quickly nodded, not knowing what else to do. But then, suddenly, a sting of pain made her grab her head. But before she got the chance to recover from it, another one followed, more intense this time. This was no normal headache. When the third one hit her, she fell on her knees. The Emperor had done a step back first but now bowed though his knees to help her.

"My child, what's wrong?"

"Shezu!" Reyan yelled worriedly.

"Ah, it hurts! My head!" Shezu groaned.

She heard the sparks of energy and when she looked at her hands, tiny electric shocks crawled over the backs and over her forearms. It was her energy. It was releasing itself. It was too great. She couldn't control it. Her brothers and sisters wanted to help her but their father signaled everyone to stay away. Especially when a blast of what seemed like lightning hit the ground next to her, blasting a small hole into the tiled floor.

"I can't… control it!" Shezu warned the others.

Her own powers were hurting her, the uncontrolled raw energy escaping her body in every way possible. Another blast struck the floor and another one hit one of the sculptures put up for display in the throne hall, reducing part of it to dust.

"Stay back!" Galen said, approaching his troubled daughter, careful not to get hit by her energy.

"My lord" Che'kan urged again, trying to bring his Emperor to safety and even better, to sickbay.

"What's happening to her?" Ganyu asked.

He could almost feel her power, so strong was it.

"Her energy level is too high. She's unable to control it and her body can't handle that much power. She's too much affected by her sorrow."

"Shezu, concentrate!" her father yelled, still trying to get closer.

"I can't!" she whimpered, clamping her head.

"It's too much!"

"Everyone get out!" Galen shouted.

Doing what he said, his children hesitating first, they brought themselves to safety. Making sure his daughter got to safety first, Ganyu pushed her to the entrance, hurrying Galen's children to do the same. In the mean time Galen had reached his daughter, who was trying as hard as she could to prevent her powers from harming him, or anyone else for that matter.

"Shezu, you have to let go of your anger and your grief" he said, softly shaking her shoulders.

She was still clamping her head, her slightly curly golden hair being blown upwards by the wind created by her power.

"I'm trying, but I can't!" she cried.

She could feel it. The buildup of energy inside her body was approaching the critical point. She didn't want that to happen because she knew it could be catastrophic. Anything could happen. The voice of her father gave her strength but no matter how hard she tried, she could feel her control slipping away more and more.

"Dad! Go away!" she tried to warn him, the electric storm around her intensifying.

If he didn't go away now, he could be killed and she would never forgive herself if that happened. To force him to go, she used what little concentration she was still capable off, in the state of total chaos her mind was in, to project a thought into his mind. For a fraction of a second he experienced what she experienced. He saw the power buildup, the possible result of the release of that amount of energy. He didn't know if he made the decision or if it was made for him by his daughter, but Galen felt the urge to turn tail and run and he did. He was glad he didn't look back. He saw his children and Stith and Ganyu cover their eyes against the blinding light, from which the source was his daughter. There was the sound of an explosion, simultaneously with the light, creating a network of cracks in the tiled floor of the throne hall. Shezu's energy was released with a powerful blast, shattering cultural artifacts, sending crackling lightning in all directions and shaking the entire palace. Galen was knocked off his feet while trying to bring himself to safety, feeling a rain of dust and stone coming down on his back when he broke his fall with his strong arms. The others had trouble to keep standing too, holding on to the walls and each other. When it was all over, he heard the sound of a body hitting the floor. _Shezu. _Rolling over to his back, his children surrounding him and asking if he were okay, he saw Shezu's naked form lying on the ground in the middle of the wrecked throne hall. The energy had burned her clothes and left her exposed, motionless.

"Shezu!" he yelled, scrambling to his feet, ignoring his chafed knees.

"No" he whispered when he approached her, fearing the worst.

It couldn't be. She was so powerful, so strong. Kirliya couldn't have taken her with her. He pulled out his shirt and used it to cover her private parts and her breasts. Then he lifted her up in his strong arms and carried her towards the entrance, a tear rolling down his cheek. She was still breathing but she was very weak. She had used up all her energy. It was just like that time in his holographic training environment. She had used so much power that she collapsed.

"Shezu. Daddy, is she all right?" Fran asked.

His father didn't reply but nodded vaguely. Che'kan and the Emperor followed him quickly. As a doctor, Che'kan had the obligation to help her.

"Please. Save her" he begged.

"Quick, take her to sickbay" Che'kan said, walking down the stairs as fast as his legs could carry him.

Shezu didn't know what happened. She had the feeling that it was some weird dream but the headache that hit her like a brick wall when she opened her eyes was very real. She woke up on an unknown bed, surrounded by white curtains in a place that smelled weird. Her ears picked up the sounds of equipment beeping and nearby voices. Listening to them, she heard they were talking about her. They sounded concerned and considering what happened, that wasn't surprising. Every muscle in her body hurt but the headache was the worst. She craved for a glass of that water Ganyu promised her and she had gotten really hungry.

"Oh, my head" she groaned when she tried to sit.

Rubbing in her eyes with the palms of her hands, she felt them stinging slightly. Blinking a few times she realized that she was in a hospital or sickbay and then it all started to come back to her. Her energy building to a critical level, her father trying to help her and all the terrible things that happened before all of that. She wished it _were _a bad dream then she at least she could let go of those nasty feelings.

"Dad?" she asked.

The voices silenced for a brief moment.

"She's awake" one of them said.

When the curtains opened, she became surrounded by the Orketh doctor, her father, her brothers and sisters, but also by Stith and Ganyu who also seemed concerned about her judging by the look on their faces.

"How do you feel honey?" her father asked.

"Not so good" she replied, forcing a smile on her face.

"My head hurts so much."

"I'd expected that" Che'kan said, holding up the hypospray filled with a mild painkiller in his hand.

"This will help against the pain."

Slowly tilting her head to one side, she allowed him to press the little device against her skin and inject the medicine. She was surprised how fast it took effect. It helped against her sore muscles and her headache but there was still her hunger and thirst.

"Is there something you want? Do you want to eat something?" Galen asked.

She nodded, looking in Ganyu's direction.

"Ganyu was your name right?" she asked carefully.

The Sogowan Mantrin nodded.

"I think I'll have that glass of water now."

"Of course. I promised I would get you some."

She breathed a sigh.

"I need to use the bathroom" she said, already lifting the sheet to get out of bed.

However she quickly put it back over her body when she realized she was missing something. She looked at everyone with a shocked expression on her face. Did they see her? She could feel her ears and cheeks turn a different color and she actually felt ashamed by it.

"Why am I naked?" she asked very softly.

"Your clothes were burned when you released your energy. I tried to make sure that no one could look at you and brought you here as quickly as possible. I was afraid I was going to lose you" her father answered.

"Here you go" Ganyu said, handing her a large glass filled with cool water.

She gratefully took it and brought it to her beak. The moment the cool refreshing water rinsed her mouth, she drank faster, spilling a little over the sheet, very greedy, with both hands holding the glass. She had never experienced such thirst before. When she was finished she held out the glass to Ganyu.

"Can I have some more?" she asked, a hopeful look in her differently colored eyes.

"Don't forget to say the word" her father said.

"Please?" she added, stretching out her arms a little further.

Ganyu smiled and rubbed between her ears.

"Of course you can. You can have as much as you want" he replied, taking the glass from her.

They were all so kind to her, despite what happened earlier. The Emperor was here too, undergoing bone regeneration on his arm. She felt so guilty that she didn't want to look at him, afraid that he might look back. She hadn't been out for long as it was still day though it probably wouldn't take long before the sun disappeared. When she finished her second glass of water she asked if they could give her some privacy.

"I think I'll have my bath now" she decided.

"And when you're finished, we'll eat something, together" Ganyu suggested.

"I don't know about you all but I'm getting really hungry."

The children all cheered upon hearing his words. Shezu was sure she could use a good meal. She hadn't eaten since last night. That was almost a full day without food.

After Galen and his children, including Shezu had left the infirmary, Kero entered, glad that everyone was all right.

"Stith" he said, embracing her shortly, licking behind her ear.

"Don't worry, I'm all right" she said, touching the tip of her beak against his, giving him a soft lick between his nostrils.

She noticed her father left to give them some privacy.

"What happened? I heard an explosion of some kind and when I could finally bring myself to leave my mother alone, I returned to the throne hall only to find out that the whole place was wrecked."

"How's your mother? I hope she's all right."

He nodded quickly, biting his bottom lip.

"The doctor's say she'll be okay. Apparently that girl saved her life. But tell me what happened."

Stith took a deep breath, remembering her own experience, before, after and during those moments. She could feel that intense grief again. That feeling that was, according to Shezu's father transmitted by his daughter, because of her psychic abilities.

"It was Shezu" she began.

"She was so… overwhelmed by her sorrow over what she had done. Her father explained to us that, when his children experience strong emotions such as grief or anger, that others around them can feel that directly. I felt it too. It's a little frightening actually. I could really feel her sorrow, as if I myself killed those people and felt sorry for it."

"That sounds horrible" Kero replied a bit shocked.

He could only imagine what it must be like. To feel other people's emotions. To go through what they were going through at that very moment.

"Anyway, her father also told us that those same emotions can also strengthen their gift. Shezu was so affected by it that her energy reached levels far too high for her. She couldn't control it anymore. Her own grief over what she had done nearly destroyed her, literally."

Her mate didn't know what to say. He was feeling a bit guilty that he yelled at her. He was so angry at her for hurting his mother that he lost his temper. That practically never happened but as Stith said, it could be the effect of Shezu's emotions on him.

"If you had felt that for yourself you would know that words are not enough to express her regret. We must not forget, despite everything that happened, she's still just a little girl. I can't believe what those warriors did to her and the others."

"I'll offer her my apologies when I see her. I shouldn't have yelled at her. She was really trying to help."

Stith nodded briefly and heaved a sigh.

"Enough about this. It's been a weird day. It's giving me a headache."

She gently caressed her swollen belly.

"But that could also be because of these two here" she said with a laugh.

"I can't wait" Kero said excitedly.

He was really looking forward to it. He had seen Shezu's brothers and sisters on his way to sickbay. They looked just like ordinary children to him. He loved children and was already looking forward to the fun he was going to have with theirs.

"I forgot! We were supposed to visit the ship today" she suddenly exclaimed, hitting herself on the head.

"Eh, yeah about that" Kero began, scratching his back.

"I just got a call from Rilas. There seems to be a glitch in the Son of the Empire's main computer systems."

"Nothing serious I hope?" Stith asked, leaving sickbay with Kero on her tail.

"They're currently running a full system's diagnostic but they're having trouble locating the problem. The launch has been rescheduled to two days from now."

"Well to be honest, I can't say I really mind" she said, turning left to the palace's main entrance.

_What was I doing when this all started? _Now she remembered. She was having a little relaxation in the gardens with her dad, talking about what happened in all those years they'd been separated. She was thinking about going back to that spot under the tree under the motto of "why not?". Now that the _Son of the Empire_ would be in space dock for an extra day, she didn't have something to do.

"There's something else" Kero continued.

"Do you mind if I join you by the way?"

"Nope" she replied, shaking her head.

"Have you been following the news lately?"

"Not really no. Did something happen?"

"You can say that."

She didn't really like the way he said that. When her mate started talking that way, she knew it couldn't be good. Sometimes he had the tendency to worry about things that seemed trivial but over time she had learned not to assume that right away.

"What's wrong?"

"Very recently, there have been attacks on several ships in this region."

Stith came to a halt so suddenly that he nearly bumped into her. Turning around she slapped with her tail against his leg.

"Are the Machines back?"

"No, it's not the Machines. But it's not much better. There doesn't seem to be any pattern to it but the Republic is talking about a new enemy calling themselves the Seraphim. Stith, I've seen an image of one of their ships. They were the ones that attacked the Myrana and murdered my former crew."

"What?" she exclaimed in disbelief.

"I know. I was a little shocked myself when I discovered this fact. Apparently the Republic has received help from a group of humans from another universe. They've dealt with these aliens before and driven them back to their own realm. I've heard that they're willing to help us do the same."

Stith snorted and crossed her arms.

"Well, I think we can beat them on our own. We've faced the Drej, the Machines… In the past the Imperial Guard stood against several other hostile races and prevailed. I'm not afraid."

"That's my brave warrior girl" Kero replied, wrapping his large well-build arms around her from behind, lying his head in her neck.

He bit her softly, playfully in the scruff of her neck, feeling her shiver softly in his arms. A burst of air escaped through her nostrils when he did that so he did it again with the same result.

"Shall we go to the gardens?" he asked.

"I was planning to" she replied, already forgetting about what he said. It wasn't time to start worrying about such things just yet.

Later that day, in the evening, with the sun trying to stay up as long as possible Zahn entered the room he had his servants prepare for Galen and his children to spend the night in. Their home in the forests of Sogowa had been ravaged by the soldiers. They had destroyed his lab, his work and their home just because Mithras ordered them to do so. As the Emperor he had to protect his people but in his fear for recurrence of what happened when Galen's first experiment failed he had sent soldiers after him and his children, forgetting that _they_ were his people too. Now that he finally met them in person, he could hardly believe that he did that. He had offered his sincere apologies to all of them -he was glad that they accepted but he wouldn't have blamed them if they didn't- and assured them that Mithras and anyone else involved with treating them so badly would be prosecuted and punished for their crimes against citizens of the Empire. But now, he had an even more difficult task ahead of him. He was not sure they were going to like it, especially Galen not, but his children had the right to know the truth about their father.

"Hey guys, can I come in?" he asked, smiling when he entered a room full of children playing on, under and around the beds.

He didn't know what kind of game it was they were playing but to him it looked like a pillow fight between two camps. Just their laughter made him happy. To see them play like all young children should be able to. Dinner had also been a wonderful experience. It remembered him about the time his sons were still young. He had enjoyed every second of it.

"Of course, of course" Galen replied quickly, after he realized who he was dealing with.

"Children, easy please."

"No, no, don't stop because of me" Zahn said, his laugh bellowing through the room.

"Can I play with you?" he asked, feeling the child in him awakening.

The children hesitated first until one of them said: "Sure, grab a pillow."

"Just joking" he laughed.

"I'm too old for that."

"Aahhhh" they all said in unison, expressing their disappointment.

They had already forgotten that he was in fact the Emperor they were asking to join the fight. But they all stopped doing whatever it was they were doing, one of them still having the other's tail in his hand, when the tone of his voice became serious.

"My tail" the Sogowan boy said, giving the other boy, a Talocaan, a playful slap on his fingers with the tip.

"Children, I… I want to show you something. There are some people I would like you to meet."

"Are they friendly?" a Goureg boy -Fran he remembered his name was- asked.

"Are they children like us?" Syndar asked hopefully.

"No they're not children but they are very friendly and I'm sure you would like them very much once you get to know them."

A lot of ears flattened when he said that. He could see that they were thinking it over. Galen had one ear lowered to a horizontal position too but didn't say anything. He was a little suspicious thought and waited for the decision of his children.

"Okay" one of them decided, throwing his pillow on top of the bed next to him.

They all followed his example and lined up behind the Emperor. Slowly he began to lead them out of the room, through the corridor to another large room he used to receive only very special guests in. The throne hall was undergoing renovations for now but the people he had invited to the palace at this late part of the day _were_ special. They were eagerly waiting for him to return. The sun was starting to disappear, ending the day with a colorful display of light in a deep orange. Before he opened the double doors to allow them in he slightly hesitated. Was this the right thing to do? There was no way back now. He had to but still felt a little bad about it. But when he overcame his hesitation and pushed open the large doors, opening them widely, he knew that whatever happened next would be out of his hands. Waiting for them in the room were fourteen Mantrins, divided into seven couples. But these couples weren't normal couples. They were parents. Parents that had lost their beloved children a couple of months ago and had almost given up hope of ever finding them again. Beaks fell open when he entered and the children spread themselves over the available space. The children however all looked at these strange people with flattened ears. These were the people the Emperor wanted them to meet? They couldn't quite figure out the reason. Who were they? The children didn't say a word and just stared but the adolescents began to whisper.

"Is that her?"

"It's really him."

Those were only a few of the things said. Shezu was not sure about it. At first she didn't have a clue about what was going on here. But then one of the couples specifically pointed at her brother Fran. The thing she noticed was that the Mantrin and Mantrinesse were both Goureg. Fran was Goureg too.

"_How can this be? Could it be?" _she thought, her brain switching to its highest gear.

Her father told them that the people who gave birth to them were dead. That they died in an accident. Their father wouldn't lie to them, would he? And even if he did, for what reason? Just to be sure, she kept following what happened. The next couple that began pointing were both Talocaan. And they were pointing at Jicko and Pynch. The two small Orketh's had their eyes locked on Reylyn. The longer she stood there, the more she began to realize that they were no ordinary people. They were parents. Their parents.

"Mom? Dad?" Eyza said carefully, doing a few steps towards two Mantrins that appeared to be Sogowans.

She rarely talked but Eyza was extremely bright and had already figured it out. When Shezu looked carefully, she noticed that the male had a couple of brighter spots on his beak and in his neck. He was a Sonowan and indeed her father.

"_This can't be" _she thought desperately.

She loved her father. How could he have lied to her all that time? She finally had him back and now it turned out that her real parents had been alive all the time.

"No, you can't do this" Galen said to Zahn.

Shezu turned around, noticing her father standing there with tears in his eyes. He already saw it coming. His children were going to leave and he would never see them back.

"I'm terribly sorry Galen" Zahn said, placing a hand on the Soneth's shoulder.

"But I think it's time for you to accept that they are not your children. I know you only had good intentions but you never should have taken them away from their parents. They deserve to live like normal children. To live ordinary lives. You can't deny them that."

The scientist was sitting on his knees, crying. All that time he had been deluding himself from the truth. At first they were just an experiment but from the first day they awoke from their artificial sleep, awakening with a gift beyond his imagination, he started loving them. He wanted to take care of them, like a father. In their eyes he was their father and now that dream was gone forever. They would probably hate him for what he did.

"I know. But I love them" he sobbed.

"Dad. Dad, don't cry" Shezu said, flinging her arms around his neck.

"S-Shezu?" he said, placing his hand on her back, rubbing softly.

"No matter what happens, no matter what you have done. You will always be my dad and I'm grateful for it."

He was overwhelmed by her kindness. She knew he had been hiding the truth but still, she couldn't resent him. In her eyes, he was still her father.

"Thank you so much Shezu but… I have to let you go. Farewell my daughter. I hope you'll be all right."

"No dad. I'll stay with you. I want you as my dad."

She couldn't help herself but cry. She didn't want to leave him. They couldn't take him away from her.

"Shezu? Is it really you?" a feminine voice asked.

When Shezu let go of her father, softly stroking his ear, she turned around, looking into the golden eyes of a Fjetahna Mantrinesse. She had the same hair color as she did, golden but without the streaks of silver in it. Her skin was a shade of light brown with her belly and neck being almost white. Her ears were tufted just like hers and she had a black muzzle and hoof-like feet. Her father was a Sogowan, slightly lighter brown than average with darker patches on his arms and legs. His eyes had a very unusual color, a very dark shade of red but didn't make him look unfriendly in the least. In fact, he laughed when she looked at him, revealing two rows of sharp teeth. The Mantrinesse who was her mother, shot Galen a filthy look. Fjetahna females were dominant and just her look made clear that she wasn't the type of woman you wanted to be messing with. The scar on the side of her mate's beak was an example of that even thought she was smaller than he was.

"You" she grunted.

"I'll kill you!"

Razor-sharp claws extended and she was bringing her arm back to bury them deep into Galen's flesh. But her daughter stood in between and spread her arms to protect him.

"I won't let you hurt my father!" she bit, growling softly.

Retracting her claws and slowly lowering her arm, her mother was surprised and didn't know how to react.

"Shezu, I am your father" the male said, his ears sagging a bit.

"Not to me" Shezu said, tightly holding on to the Mantrin she still considered her dad.

"Shezu" the Emperor said, seeing in which direction this was going.

"Please, they are your parents. I'm not telling you this because I wanna hurt you but because you have the right to know the truth."

"I don't care! You can't hurt him!"

"I'm so sorry" Galen said.

"It's all my fault."

"Damn right it's your fault!" the Mantrinesse in front of him shouted in his face.

"How could you? Huh? Taking away our children! What did you do to them anyway? How could they've aged so much in a few months time?"

Before Galen could reply Shezu did it for him. She noticed that her brothers and sisters were getting along just fine with their parents. Reylyn was crying of course, sitting on her mother's leg. She was crying too, touching her beak to her little daughter's. They were tears of happiness. Reyan looked a lot like his dad. His father was large for a Sogowan and didn't look like the friendliest type around but even he was glad he had his son back, holding him in his strong arms. But Shezu couldn't forgot about the care and love Galen had given them. She didn't care if the people in front of her were her real parents or not. She was not going to let them hurt the man she had known as her father all that time.

"Our father gave us powers. He taught us everything and made us strong" she said, moving her hands into the direction of a small cultural artifact displayed on a table.

Just by the lift of a finger, the small sculpture began to hover above the table, floating in their direction.

"Please be careful with that Shezu" Zahn said, hoping it wouldn't break the girl's concentration.

"It's very delicate."

But Shezu was far beyond this simple technique. The sculpture floated through the air and landed perfectly into the Emperor's hands. Satisfied when she saw the faces of her parents she put her hands on her hips, flashing Galen a smirk.

"That's… that's amazing" her mother said.

"Amazing or not, you took our children!" the voice of Reyan's dad bellowed through the room.

He approached Shezu and her father, who was still sitting on his knees on the floor, with a threatening speed, ready to beat the hell out of the Mantrin who took his little son.

"He should be executed for his crimes!" Syndar's father added.

Now they all began to meddle with the whole situation. Reyan tried to stop his father but he was too large and he was too small.

"Daddy please don't. He took good care of us. We love him. Don't hurt him!"

But his father didn't seem willing to listen to his son. He was taking big steps, his foot claws scratching over the tiled floor, his eyes shooting fire. But before he or any other parent could take action, the children raced towards the scientist and formed a circle around him, defending him against the rage of their parents. Zahn was the only adult in the room that didn't seem to be bend on killing Galen.

"Come here children. You are safe with us. This is a bad man and he must be punished for his crimes" Fran's mother said.

"No!" Syndar yelled.

"Only if you promise not to hurt him" Fran said to his mother.

"Reyan come here!" his father grunted.

"No!" the boy repeated, baring his teeth.

"Reyan I am your father and you will listen to me. Now do as I say and come here!"

A little scared by his father's outburst the boy gave in.

"Yes daddy" he said timidly, his ears and tail sagging, breaking away from the others.

The other children remained in the circle and were not planning to give up right away.

"Why do you insist on defending him? He denied you a life with us and with other children" Reylyn's father asked.

"Because he took good care of us. Because he helped us with our powers and because we love him! Why don't you understand that?" Shezu shouted.

"Shezu" her mother said softly, knowing the hard approach was not going to work.

She sunk on her knees before her daughter, so that she was at equal height, placing her hands on her thighs. Looking directly into the eyes of her daughter, she began to talk at a very calm tone.

"Please Shezu, think about it. We are your parents and we love you very much. We would like you to come with us."

"But I don't even know you name. Only if you promise that we can keep seeing our daddy and that you won't hurt him."

Her mother sighed, thinking about it. Of course she could scan her mind and tell if her next answer was a lie but that would go against her father's rules. It was wrong.

"My name is Shiweyah, from the House of Irani. Please, I want you back."

Tears began to well up in her golden eyes.

"Do you promise?" Shezu asked again.

"Yeah, we're not going anywhere unless you all promise" Pynch added.

He gained support from his brothers and sisters, giving their parents only one option to choose from. One by one they agreed but Reyan's father merely snorted.

"He must be punished and that's final!" he growled.

Now every parent in the room turned their eyes towards him, even his wife. They didn't look very friendly.

"Oh c'mon!" he brought out in frustration.

His wife gave him a jab in his ribs.

"All right I promise" he eventually grumbled.

The Emperor came standing next to Shezu and her mother and came with a good suggestion.

"You know, it's late already. Why don't you all spend the night at the palace? I have plenty of rooms for-"

"I wasn't done talking yet!" Shiweyah snarled, abruptly shutting him up, not caring about the fact that she was talking to the Emperor himself in that manner.

"Whoa, temper" Zahn said, backing off immediately, holding up his hands in defense.

In an instant, Shiweyah was back to her sweet self when she turned towards her daughter. She didn't have to repeat her request. The look in her eyes was enough.

"Go" Galen said from behind Shezu.

She turned around to find out that he meant it.

"They are your parents Shezu. They love you. They love all of you. Go."

Shezu smiled, patting between her dad's ears.

"Don't worry dad, we can keep seeing each other. That's all I wanted."

With a last whip of her plumed tail she was off, running into her mother's arms.

"I'm sorry mom. I just didn't want you to hurt him."

"I understand Shezu. He really means a lot to you all, doesn't he?"

She could feel her sobbing daughter nod when she pressed her against her chest, brushing her beak through her soft curly golden hair, feeling the tears leaving her own eyes. All children rejoined with their parents, happy that the people, they thought were gone forever, would be at their side for a long time to come.

"What is this?" Shezu asked herself out loud, only to find out that not a single sound had escaped her beak.

She was standing outside in the open, the world around her covered by a thick layer of some grey stuff. It was falling from the sky that was darkened by clouds in the same color. Even the rays of the sun, falling through the cloud cover in the distance had lost their strength, their warmth and she didn't get the happy feeling she usually got from the sun shining. Looking around her she noticed everything had lost its color. The entire landscape, the trees, the leftovers of the buildings around her, all covered in flakes of grey dust. When she walked a single step, it fluttered up around her feet, falling down very slowly. It kept falling from the sky. A rain of ash.

"Hello?" she asked.

She could hear her voice now. It was as if it was coming from a distance of miles. It sounded hollow, strange, not like her own. _What's going on here?_ Hugging herself, when a very slight icy breeze blew straight through her clothes, she took a few more steps. The buildings around her were destroyed, empty. It didn't take long to find out that she was all alone. All alone in this dead world. Nothing survived. She took a few more steps, in whatever direction it was she was going. A sudden crack, nearly made her scream, but what she saw when she looked down _did_ make her scream. Covered in grey ash, was the skull of a Mantrin, staring at her with its hollow eye sockets. The entire body was still attached to it and apparently she had stepped on the right arm. She didn't know what frightened her more, the remains of a dead body here on the street, or that she touched that thing with her bare foot. Gasping for breath she did a few steps back, feeling her own dual heartbeat in her throat. Then suddenly she heard a sound behind her, which almost made her scream again. Lightning fast she turned around and saw a shadow shooting behind the wall of a nearby building. Looking down she saw that her arm was stretched out. She had wanted to launch a blast of energy at whatever it was but couldn't. When she tried to concentrate again she felt empty. Her powers were gone! She was defenseless.

"Who are you?" she asked, frightened by the look of that shadow.

She couldn't prevent her voice from trembling. She instinctively did a few steps back when no reply came. Then she started to walk away from it. First a few more steps, then it was like walking, then she ran, not knowing where she went, looking back to find out that the shadow was following her. It was black, pitch black and appeared to be a creature made up of clouds.

"Help me!" she yelled in panic.

She couldn't run and look at the same time. Something made her trip and she landed on her belly on the street, which was covered with bones. The bones of her own people! Hundreds of them, covered in grey ash. They were all dead. She managed to break her fall but crawled away from it on her hands. She had nowhere to go. The black shadow approached her, taking the shape of a face, and alien face. Just the cloudy whirling contours with two big red glowing eyes. It didn't have a mouth but the voice that seemed to be coming from this monstrous creature made her turn cold to the bone. It was as if her hearts had turned to ice.

"Die" it said slowly, coming closer and closer, making the air around it colder and colder.

It was so close that it could almost touch her.

"Noooo!" she screamed, the fear almost squeezing her throat shut.

When it touched her the dead world around her disappeared and made place for the darkness of the bedroom inside the palace.

"Shezu! Shezu, stay calm! It's all right, we're here! It was just a dream!" Galen said, still trying to control her arms.

"Where is it? Don't let it touch me!" she screamed.

It still took her a few seconds to realize that it was all just a dream, more like a horrifying nightmare actually. Panting like she had just run a dozen miles and bathing in her own sweat she tried to do as her father said but she couldn't get the horrible images out of her mind.

"I… I saw something" she brought out.

"Shezu?" Reylyn said worriedly.

"Our world. It was destroyed. Everything was destroyed. You were dead. Everyone was dead. And then that thing came. It tried to kill me too."

"Shhh. You're safe."

She noticed that her claws had made a few ugly scratches on her father's arms. She immediately felt sorry for it but her dream had been so terrifyingly real. She was afraid to ask her next question.

"Dad? I often see things in my dreams and sometimes they become true. Can… Can I see the future?"

Her father sighed.

"Shezu, your abilities might allow you to see things that could be a possible future but nothing's for sure. The future's not solid."

"But I've seen things before dad. And they all became true. I'm scared."

"Don't worry too much about it girl" her father said, touching his beak to hers.

"The future's always changing."

Maybe he was right but the rest of the night she was afraid to go back to sleep. What if her father was wrong? What if she did see the future?


	27. Chapter 24 Escape Velocity

**Escape Velocity**

"That's it Preed! C'mon, hit it with everything you've got!" Ayko barked, her loud voice bellowing through the ship's armory.

She sure knew how to push people to their limits. Sweat gathered in the wrinkles on top of his nose, running off his beak in small trickles. He had already given up on trying to control his breathing and he didn't know how long he had been standing there with those boxing gloves on but his muscles were screaming that it was enough. Unfortunately his Captain still disagreed with his body and kept encouraging him, which _did_ help a lot.

As the boxing sack swung back for another round he gave everything he still got in him and punched his fist forward for a hard right one. The left followed quickly before the heavy sack, attached to the ceiling with chains, hit back with its considerable weight.

"_Should have tried this sooner" _he thought, projecting the thought of Khiosa's head on the black cylindrical sack and giving it another good punch.

It was great for getting rid of any anger and frustration and if that for some reason didn't work it would help develop a good punch. He remembered Stith doing it quite often too in her free time aboard the _Valkyrie, _without the gloves of course. She always threatened to find a living replacement for her boxing sack, if he got on her nerves again, something that had always been one of his specialties. His slightly perverted manners and just the way he used to talk to her were enough to make the Mantrin come up with the most creative threats.

In the free time between duty shifts Ayko put him through the most intense training sessions he could think of. They had developed it 'together'. That meant just nodding and agreeing with her on all points and as she said before, charming words were not going to go save him from this one.

"_It's never easy" _he thought, biting his teeth and giving the sack another good left one. _It never was and it never will be. _

"Preed!"

"Yes dear?" he panted.

That was the mistake she had been waiting for. She immediately had his full attention, thereby forgetting that the boxing sack was still hanging in mid-air under an angle of at least thirty degrees with the deck. It had its revenge by knocking against the side of Preed's head and slamming him against the deck. Shaking his head, his one ear flapping a bit, he scrambled back to his feet, still managing to produce that slimy grin on his face.

"You did that on purpose, did you?" he asked with a soft laugh.

"Maybe" she said teasingly, approaching him with firm steps, using her considerable length to appear intimidating.

She _was _taller than him and a lot more muscular. If she really wanted him to be as muscular as she was, he still had a lot of training ahead of him.

"But you allowed yourself to, be, distracted" she said, poking her finger in his chest with each word.

"You did well today and it's late but distraction means death. If that thing would have been a knife, I would have something nice to grab your head by at the moment."

"Yes ma'am" Preed replied, picking a safer word to address her with.

She stared him in the eyes for a couple of more seconds, before she directed them at the boxing sack and balled her fists. The first punch would have knocked him, and most other people out cold, that was for sure. The sack was heavy, but its weight was no match for Ayko's strength.

"It could… take… a while… before… we can get out of here" she said, beating up the sack in the mean time.

Even she needed to get rid of her frustration now and then, and she was sparing up a lot lately. Khiosa, her brother Sokarr and now this situation. Repairs were progressing slowly, much slower than she would've liked and they currently had no way of knowing if their message got through. For all she knew, it could still take days before they could leave this place without getting their butts shot off, provided the aliens didn't find a way to smoke them out in the mean time. They hadn't sent anymore ships but there were easier ways for them to get rid of their little problem. She hoped they wouldn't realize that too soon. She had found out that these aliens called themselves the Seraphim but the database had very little information about them, most of it incomplete or speculated. They came from another dimension, another realm called the quantum realm and no one has actually been there. In fact, most scientists had deemed travel to other dimensions as impossible, until now. With no idea of estimating the size of the Seraphim threat they couldn't mount an effective defense strategy or preemptive strike attack. It was frustrating, especially for her as Captain as she had to report to Command about the best option to proceed. Good intelligence was the first step in fighting a successful war and they were kind of limited in that area now.

"They've attacked… an Akrennian warship… without provocation…" she spat, a thin film of sweat starting to appear on her dark brown skin.

"According to our standards… that is an act of war… and must be treated that way…"

She gave the sack one good last punch before letting it swing freely on its gained momentum. Cracking her knuckles afterwards she turned to her Commander and boyfriend.

"We'll give 'em what they want. If we can't make it out of here, we'll fight to the bitter end" she grunted, the fire in her eyes igniting.

"The best way to die is in battle eh?" Preed said, trying to act brave.

Ayko smirked, revealing her sharp glistening fangs. Patting him on the shoulder with such force, that he began to wonder if she hadn't dislocated the bone she pushed him back, closer to the nearest wall.

"Get off those gloves!" she growled.

Throwing the boxing gloves next to him on the deck, he didn't even have time to let his aching muscles come to rest as he was battered with his back against the bulkhead. Throwing a quick glance over her shoulder to see if anyone was watching -not that she really cared but the distrustfulness of her species had reached legendary status and it could be used against her by the more creative ones- she nuzzled with her beak against his face, careful not to poke out an eye with the long sharp horn between her nostrils. Ignoring the sharp pain in his back, Preed grabbed her in her neck, pressing his lips on hers. She allowed it, and returned the favor a short moment later, fiery, aggressive like a predator.

"Although you still have a lot to learn about fighting…" she breathed, before she was cut off again by his mouth on hers.

"I still can't get enough of you."

Bringing her beak closer to the ear he still had she whispered: "I want you as my mate, and there's nothing my father or anyone else can change about that."

She gently licked the lobe of his left ear which he found extremely pleasant for some reason. He had imagined Stith doing that many times but now that Ayko did it, it was much better than all those fantasies. It was as if his left ear had become twice as sensitive with the loss of the other one. He could feel shivers moving up and down his spinal column as she did it again.

"You like that, do you?" she breathed in his ear, using her left hand to caress the plate of metal integrated into his skull, letting her fingers slide down gently to the back of his neck.

His breath came with short bursts when she repeated her gentle treatment.

"Do me one favor though Preed."

"Anything my dearest" he said with his oily voice.

"Take a shower before you begin your shift."

She was holding his beak in one hand, pressing her lips softly on his but the tone of her voice sounded more like that of an order than a request. He displayed his wolfish grin and complied, knowing that she wouldn't take no for an answer. At that moment, Ayko's wristcom unit chimed, ruining its owner's mood.

"What is it?" she grunted, answering the call, without activating the holo-emitter.

"Sorry for the interruption Captain" the officer she had left in command of the bridge said.

"But I thought you'd like to know that we've finished recalibrating our sensors to the current environment."

"It's about damn time. I'll be there in a moment. Ayko out."

Getting back to where she left him, she focused her deep orange eyes on Preed again and smiled.

"Duty calls" she grumbled, biting on the nail of her left thumb.

She punched him on the shoulder, maybe a little harder than she intended and turned towards the door with a fluid motion.

"Don't be late" she said, leaving him standing where he stood, a little overwhelmed by what she just did to him.

"_What a woman" _he thought, using the cool metal of the bulkhead to support his tired body.

He only had about one hour before the last part of his duty shift started. Ayko was letting the crew work double time to make the necessary repairs to get out of this ball of compressed gas but the lack of sleep was beginning to take its toll. Most of the crew were grouchy, having had only a few hours of sleep between each shift. He understood that Ayko wanted her ship ready to battle as soon as possible but the crew's lack of sleep resulted in lack of concentration and that resulted in mistakes. They couldn't afford to make mistakes now. Their lives depended on it. She hadn't had much sleep herself but she was a real hard one. She could take a beating as she had proved in more than one occasion. Heaving a sigh, knowing that the longer he would be standing here, the more time he would waste on doing just that, he put his elbows against the bulkhead and pressed himself off the wall. Even that was difficult for his searing muscles which resulted in a soft groan escaping his mouth. Maybe if he showed up a little earlier, she would let him have seven instead of six hours of dreamless sleep. He chuckled softly when he left the armory, erasing the thought from his mind even faster than he could say 'no way'. When being the tough Ayko she made no difference between him and any other member of the crew. No special treatment. Whistling a tune that came out of nowhere he headed to deck two where his quarters were located. _No time to waste then._

"Captain on deck."

"Shut up, unless you want to tell me something that is really important" Ayko grunted, ignoring the salute.

What was this guy trying to do anyway? Trying to get her to like him?

"Captain, we've managed to get the sensors to peek through the upper hydrogen layer. If we gain a little height, we should be able to see what they're doing up there."

"I expected nothing less Miss Iyu" Ayko replied coldly, standing next to her, with her arms folded over his chest.

"Found anything interesting?"

"Let's see if I can get it up on screen" the sand-colored Akrennian female said, tapping a few buttons on her console.

There was still an awful lot of interference when the sensor images were displayed on the main viewer and even after clearing it up a bit, it didn't get much better but better than nothing at all. However it was not the quality of the images that made the last of Ayko's smile disappear from her face. Apparently the enemy was still searching for them, or keeping an eye on them and one of their larger warships was holding position above their location. The sensors picked up some signs of patrolling smaller craft but extending past a few thousand kilometers above the planet's atmosphere resulted in nothing but static. But the conclusion was that they still hadn't given up on their prey.

"Trynan, take us down a bit" Ayko ordered.

"But ma'am" the furred Akrennian objected.

"If we drop too much it will reduce the effectiveness of our sensors to the point that they are useless. In addition to that, the hull is already under a lot of stress and gaining some ground in the decompressed sections is already difficult as it is."

"I am well aware of that Lieutenant" she replied, as if he had just called her stupid.

"Question for you. What's worse, one hull breach or many?"

Trynan stared back at her non-understandingly. He wondered if he had heard it right.

"I'm not sure I understand the question ma'am" he replied carefully.

"The question is simple Lieutenant" she replied, the expression on her face a hard one.

"Well Captain, it all depends on the size of the breaches, the areas affected by their decompression, the difference in pressure-"

"Never mind Lieutenant, if you can't answer the question than shut up and take us down" she grunted.

"Yes ma'am" Trynan replied, quickly executing her order by the tap of a series of buttons on his console.

"My point was Trynan, that if we can find a way to clear up the interference then so can they."

"I-I understand ma'am" he replied.

"Captain, shall I divert more power to structural integrity?" Kheitran asked.

Ayko turned around to face him, the look on her face already telling the answer.

"If you haven't done so already, I suggest you do it quickly unless you want to crush us all."

"Aye Captain."

Walking towards the door of her ready room she halted when the door slid open to let her in.

"Call me only if something _worthy_ of having my attention shows up" she grumbled.

When the door closed automatically behind her, she let out an irritated sigh. Were they really that stupid or just tired? Normally she would say a combination of both but she was tired herself. In fact, she used the privacy of her ready room to let out a loud yawn. She still had something important to do. She had lost three crewmen during the attack. Two had been in the sections that decompressed and another one had been severely injured when the power conduit he had been standing next to exploded. The ship's doctor had just given her the confirmation that his patient was gone. She still had to record the condolence letters to the relatives of those crewmen. As any good Captain, she hated recording those. She wasn't an emotional person in the least but she always had trouble finding the right words. Most of the time she barely knew them and then she was trapped between being completely honest or making something up to make them feel better.

"_Well, better start now"_ she thought, sitting down on the comfortable chair, behind the antique wooden desk, left behind by the former Captain, who didn't have to worry about such things anymore since his relatives had already received such a letter.

"Computer begin recording" she said, her mind filling itself with things she could tell about those who died, hoping she didn't have to do this anymore but fearing that it wouldn't be the last letters she was going to record.

"…it is with great regret that I must inform you that…"

"Captain, I'm ready to begin my… shift."

Preed immediately fell silent when he noticed the look on her face.

"Preed! I was just getting on the right track with this last one and now you ruined it!"

She added an annoyed growl, which made him swallow the rest of what he had to say. Instead he apologized which did little to improve her mood.

"Never mind" she said with a sigh, snatching the holoscroll from his hands.

She scanned through the report with a few quick swipes of her finger and tossed it on the desk. First she leaned back in the chair, without saying a word, then she stood up and began pacing up and down the room.

"What's our maximum?" she murmured.

The only thing in the report that interested her was that her chief engineer had managed to get the warp engines back online, though it probably wouldn't get them very far in their current state. The coils had seen better days and two out of six antimatter injectors were completely fried. They used to have one for spare but it had already been installed shortly after they left space dock because someone forgot the check them before they did. Theoretically it was possible to go to warp with only four injectors but the engine would run at a much lower efficiency and it would increase the strain put on the other ones. It was risky, because the loss of another one while travelling at warp could cause the sudden collapse of the subspace displacement field which could be catastrophic to both ship and crew. However she had no choice but to take that risk. "Five point seven, at most" Preed replied, knowing she wouldn't be happy with the answer.

"It'll have to do" she grumbled.

"Trynan says our engines can't take this any longer. We have to get out now."

A flash of light entered her ready room through the large window to the right. It immediately had the attention of both Captain and Commander when the shockwave caused by a nearby explosion expanded itself through the whirling gasses and toward them. It wasn't powerful enough to cause any damage and it hit the ship with only a slight trembling as a result but it could only mean one thing. The Seraphim had started attacking again, this time with a whole different kind of weapon. Ayko instinctively grabbed the edge of the wooden desk when the shockwave of another detonation followed. This time they couldn't see it coming as it happened on the starboard side but it was definitely closer and the shockwave more powerful. They both looked at each other for a moment, the lights above their heads flickering, the expression on Ayko's face turning into an angry one.

"Darn it!" she snarled, making her way back to the bridge with Preed following closely behind.

If they hit the engines, they were goners for sure. They had no choice but to make a run for it.

"What the heck is going on?" Ayko yelled, taking her place on the Captain's chair.

"Spatial charges!" Kheitran shouted back, when another one detonated next to their position, a little too close for comfort.

Apparently they had found a way to track down their movements. They knew their position.

"Evasive maneuvers! Trynan get us out of here!"

"I'm trying Captain" the furred Akrennian acknowledged, battling with the controls to evade the bright glowing energy projectiles dropped in front of the _N'gara _from above.

They came down like droplets, with a bright glowing tail of crackling energy. When they detonated, the spherical shockwaves detonated pockets of hydrogen in their vicinity, causing secondary explosions with had an amplifying effect. No pilot in the galaxy could evade every single one of them, as they expanded too rapidly. A rain of sparks showered down on the deck, when the ship penetrated the outer barrier of a shockwave, the hull making an awful sound on impact.

"I can't evade these things!" Trynan said, trying a different set of maneuvers.

But each time he changed his evasive tactics, the enemy ships above them found a way to adapt. That wasn't too surprising since fighting the currents inside a gas giant's atmosphere was already hard without being shot at. The enemy wasn't bothered by such things. They flew straight above them, above the atmosphere. It was difficult for them to score a direct hit, as the bombs were not capable of correcting their own path while on their way to the target and they were easily thrown off course by the atmospheric currents but their yield was more than enough to make them effective, even at this range.

"Our shields are failing!" Kheitran growled, trying to divert the last bit of power to the energy barriers protecting the damaged hull.

If they failed completely, the next shockwave could tear the whole ship apart.

"Take us up!" Ayko ordered, grabbing hold of something when the next wave hit them.

Iyu shook her head, the panic clearly audible in her voice.

"Space above is crawling with enemies. They'll blow us right out of the sky if we so much as show ourselves."

"I'm well aware of that Miss Iyu, but right now we have no other choice. Put me on ship-wide audio."

"Ship-wide, aye Captain."

She tapped a button on her console and signaled her Captain that the link between the bridge and the rest of the ship had been established. While Trynan slowly brought the ship to a course that would take them out of the gas giant's atmosphere and right into the middle of what could be the abyss, she spoke to her crew.

"All hands, this is the Captain."

She paused not exactly sure what to say. She didn't want to discourage them, yet she didn't want to give them false hope either. Maybe it was better to come straight to the point, which is what she did eventually.

"For those of you hoping for a pep-talk, drop it. We're getting out of here now or die trying. The enemy forces have us surrounded and now its fight or die. We currently have vital information about this new threat that mustn't die with us. If it is the last thing we ever do, we must try to get this intel back so that they can put it to good use."

"Captain, we're leaving the atmosphere" Trynan warned.

On the viewscreen, the orange clouds began to get thinner. The gas clouds seemed to dissolve in front of the ship and the darkness of space specked by the tiny white dots of distant stars started to bleed through.

"Okay everyone. Hold on, this could be a bit of a bumpy ride."

When the ship popped out of the thick blanket of orange clouds composed of hydrogen and helium, it soon became clear that they were no longer the only ones in the system. Iyu's console chimed constantly, alerting her for more and more contacts on long and on short range. Proximity alerts warned her for enemy warships nearby and she brought it up on the main viewer while reviewing the incoming sensor data.

"Well whadda ya know? It seems Gamma-Chelentii suddenly marked itself as inhabited" Ayko muttered nonchalantly.

"Too bad, I don't like the new inhabitants."

It was more like a matter of speaking since these vessels, despite their impressive size and complexity, weren't even crewed by living beings. They were controlled from a distance. Iyu could confirm that since her scanners didn't pick up any life-signs under their shiny armored shell. Ayko was surprised not to hear a lock alert yet, but knowing that was undoubtedly a matter of time she decided to make haste.

"Trynan, now please!" she grunted, her eyes glued to the screen, ready to order evasive maneuvers.

The closest of the larger warships, flanked by several smaller craft, had already left orbit and followed the Akrennian warship.

"Enemy ships are locking weapons" Iyu stated.

"They're firing!"

Her words were accompanied by flashes on the main viewer when the Seraphim battlecruiser began firing its forward weapons array. Cannons began spitting bolts of plasma at their target and a barrage of guided energy projectile weapons left the forward launchers. They looked like some sort of directed energy weapon from a large distance but closer inspection by Iyu revealed that they were actually a type of missile with an advanced guidance system.

"Trynan" Ayko said slowly, through clenched teeth, feeling her nails penetrating the armrests of her chair.

"Course laid in. Engaging warp drive!" the furred helmsman said.

It took longer for the ship to charge its warp coils as the damage done to her engines was extensive but just before the first missile could deliver its blow, the _N'gara_ jumped, leaving a bunch of scattering missiles behind that suddenly found themselves without a target to chase. Aboard the _N'gara_ Ayko was a bit concerned about the sounds her ears picked up since they broke through the warp barrier. The ship vibrated, something it shouldn't do, even while travelling at speeds much faster than the speed of light. Apparently something was wrong with the inertial dampeners or the warp field was destabilizing. If that latter was the case they had a serious problem but as long as it didn't get any worse it wouldn't be. But Iyu warned her for a more pressing matter, something that might even kill them faster than the collapse of the warp field or the loss of the inertial dampeners.

"Captain, enemy ships are in pursuit. They're closing fast."

"How fast?"

This time she couldn't fully keep the undertone of concern out of her voice. Especially since the enemy warships were much faster than they were now and far more powerful. If they had to face them now, it wouldn't even be called a fight.

"They'll be within firing range in less than two minutes."

"Trynan, anything we can do to increase that time?"

Her helmsman was hesitant to answer but he knew they had to exploit every option, even if that meant pushing the already damaged engines way over their maximum.

"Not sure Captain. Maybe I can give you warp six but I don't know if she'll hold together."

"Just do it Lieutenant" Ayko grumbled.

She was so frustrated, partly because of the lack of any sleep, mainly because these aliens were testing her patience. They just didn't let go. Not that she wouldn't have done the same if she had the upper hand over them but that wasn't case now. _Warp six. That will get us… nowhere near any inhabited system in time._ She could hear the strain on the engines increasing when Trynan did what he had to a quick mental prayer to the Gods of Akrennia she wished for a ship. Any ship within a range close enough to be of help. She didn't expect it to happen but surprisingly enough her prayer was heard.

"Captain, I'm picking up a ship. Correction, two ships. At a distance of point six lightyears" Iyu reported, immediately trying to send them a message.

"Let them know we're here and in need of help."

"I'm already on it Captain but the enemy is trying to jam our communications. I'm trying every frequency."

Ayko let out a soft throaty growl. They were trying to make this as hard as possible. Not hard enough obviously, according to Preed.

"Captain?"

"What?" she bit back, jerking her head in his direction.

"Engineering reports that the injectors are two-hundred degrees over maximum. We have to slow down."

"Confirmed" Trynan, who had heard his superior talking, added.

"I'm way in the red zone over here. We have to slow down."

"Captain?" he urged when she didn't reply. Somehow they had to find a way to delay the encounter just a bit longer.

"Iyu, status on the friendlies?"

"I think they got it ma'am. Friendly ships have increased their speed and are moving in to intercept us. ETA, four minutes."

However the enemy would catch up to them in less than thirty seconds. Even if they could have gone to maximum warp, she doubted they would have stayed ahead of their pursuers. Their ships were powered by a quantum-based warp drive, using a small artificial singularity doing the same as a matter-antimatter reactor. There was no way to tell how fast they could go but they also had technology that could a open a portal into quantum space and use a tunnel for instant travel. Their technology was way ahead of anything she had ever seen.

"Red alert" she hissed, her eyes still locked on the screen.

The enemy ships were closing in fast from behind. The sound made by Iyu's console confirmed that they had a lock.

"Injectors are three-hundred degrees past maximum safe temperatures!" Trynan warned her.

"We have to drop out of warp!"

"Do it!" Ayko finally gave in.

From the moment they dropped back to normal space, Ayko knew they didn't stand much of a fighting chance. It was the middle of nowhere, it was one against many and those two ships were still too far away.

"Do we still have weapons?" she asked, not sure if they'd been damaged in the last attack.

"_Maybe I should have taken a closer look at that report"_ she thought, grinding her teeth.

"Weapons are functional" Kheitran answered, running a quick check.

"But we don't have much in the way of shields."

"There must be something we can do!"

To her surprise, it was Preed who came with a suggestion.

"Captain? What about the plasma?"

A faint, sharp-toothed smile crept along her face. _I knew there was something bright under that metal-plated skull of his._

"Go on."

"Korso, my former Captain used this tactic once" he continued, a little hesitantly.

"It may damage the nacelles but if we can vent the plasma in our wake, we might be able to use it as a weapon."

Ayko's grin had just gotten wider. It was almost as if she were about to pat him on the shoulder.

"I like the plan. It's the best one I've heard today. Trynan, suggestions?"

"Well, it sure is hot enough" he said, translating the data on his console into words.

"At these temperatures it will surely damage the engines but if this doesn't work we don't need them anyway."

"I don't wanna hear such things on my bridge Trynan. Get ready to vent the plasma."

"Here they come!" Iyu said, bringing the enemy ships in view.

They were closing fast but Ayko hadn't ordered evasive maneuvers just yet. This was perfect for luring them into Preed's trap.

"Engineering is standing by for you to give the order Captain" he said, keeping an open comlink with the lower decks.

"Just a little bit closer" his Captain whispered.

Three of the smaller ships that flanked the larger Seraphim cruiser had began a small attack run of their own, moving ahead of the rest. Again this made things more difficult. They had to get the larger vessel in their wake and quick because a small fleet of the same missiles as before left its forward launch tubes.

"Standby on the aft missile battery" Ayko ordered.

"C'mon closer" she hissed.

The first hits impacted on the aft shields, draining them much quicker than expected, judging by Kheitran's reaction.

"We're taking damage!" he yelled above the noise.

"Bridge to engineering, do it now!" she shouted, bracing herself for the shockwave.

If it detonated too soon, because the enemy ships had already opened fire, they would get hit by their own improvised weapon. When someone in main engineering flipped the switch, a thick cloud of superheated plasma under high pressure, blasted out of the damaged warp nacelles of the _N'gara_, trapping its pursuers in the hottest trap ever. Even the larger warship, despite trying to make a tight turn, couldn't evade the cloud. A member of Ayko's crew already began cheering but it wasn't over yet, as she made clear, shutting him up. Having vented sufficient plasma, she ordered main engineering to close the valves. The enemy ships had stopped firing as soon as they were hit by the charged particles. They disrupted their systems and threw off targeting scanners. It was the perfect trap.

"Fire missiles, all aft tubes!"

"With pleasure" her tactical officer replied, his fingers dancing over the console.

As the _N'gara _moved away from the cloud she had just created, a devastating barrage of missiles left the aft tubes. The projectiles detonated on the hulls of the trapped ships, ripping some of them apart and creating a chain reaction inside the plasma cloud. Iyu's sensors read multiple explosions and that was perfectly consistent with what they were seeing on the viewscreen. Reactors exploded with bright flashes, sending pieces of whatever debris was left in all directions. Nearly every ship was destroyed but as expected the toughest of all survived. The Seraphim warship had a hull riddled with holes and if it'd had a crew, they would have all been burned alive but it was still functional, partially. It's engines sputtered and it had trouble maneuvering but its front was directed at the _N'gara_ and the weapons that were functional fired again. White-tailed missiles zigzagged towards them as Trynan vainly did his best to evade them. The ship trembled violently and the sound of explosions on the lower decks indicated that they wouldn't be able to stand up to them for long.

"Now _this_ is how people get angry! Return fire, all batteries!" Ayko yelled.

Every laser cannon and missile tube fired, spitting beams, bolts and projectiles at their target. It did have some effect but both ships had suffered so much damage that neither of them would make it out of this sector without help. Fortunately for Ayko and her crew, they wouldn't have to wait long as a Republican cruiser, joined by another Akrennian warship, the Zath'cuii as its registry said arrived. Both targeted the remaining Seraphim ship and opened fire with everything they got. Having already suffered heavy damage by the treatment it was given by the _N'gara_ the bright flash, indicating its end, followed soon after the first laser bolt was fired.

Aboard the _N'gara_,casualty reports were coming in and it was not looking good. A series of hull breaches had cost several crewmembers their lives and many had suffered injuries. Ayko was helping one of the crewmembers on her destroyed bridge to stay conscious. Others who did have their hands free, were putting out fires or helping their fellow officers.

"Captain, it was an honor" the black-skinned Akrennian brought out.

"Don't talk to me like that!" she snarled.

She almost felt the urge to slap him right in the middle of his face but he already had a large bleeding wound on his head. Her slap would do little more than knock him out, maybe for good.

"Preed?" she asked, looking around but she didn't see him.

"_Where are you?" _she asked herself.

How could he have gone away at a time like this?

"Captain, I've got an incoming transmission from the Republican ship" Iyu warned her.

"Put it through."

The bridge of the human starship appeared on the flickering screen, her Captain, a D'amaran strangely enough, having a worried look on her face. Ayko frowned for a brief moment. A female D'amaran commanding a human starship? She had to admit, the humans certainly trusted the members of the alliance. To put aliens in command of their ships was certainly a sign of trust. But she didn't have time to think about that. The alien Captain spoke with a soft voice, clearly female, but definitely concerned.

"Captain, my ship and the Zath'cuii have medical and rescue teams standing by. Do you need assistance?"

"Thank you Captain. We could use some help over here" Ayko replied.

"However there's something even more important. Our database holds vital information about the race that attacked us. They're on the verge of something big. This information must reach the Republic ASAP. Iyu, standby for a data transfer."

"Aye Captain" she replied.

"I'm sending over the rescue teams now" the D'amaran Captain confirmed.

"We're ready to receive the data."

"Transferring" Iyu confirmed.

"Captain, we have to get back to New Earth as soon as possible" Ayko urged.

She stood up when doctors arrived to take care of her wounded officer. She didn't know what he was saying. He didn't make much sense but that was likely the result of the injury. Hoping he would survive through this mess, she directed her attention back at the screen.

"We have to get back" she grunted, supporting her back.

It was an old injury that played up at odd moments like these. Biting her teeth, she made her way to the front of the bridge, evading pieces of the ceiling and dangling conduits. Even without seeing her facial expression, the D'amaran saw that she was serious about this.

"Very well then. But your ship is in no condition to make it there on its own."

Ayko chuckled.

"D'you think you can handle me and my crew?" she asked with a wry smile.

"I'd thought you'd never ask" she replied, smiling.

"_And then they say that D'amarans have no sense of humor"_ Ayko thought.

"Your life-support system is failing, we'll dock with you to keep the atmosphere breathable for your crew to get out. See you s…"

At that moment the main viewer exploded in a shower of sparks.

"Did you make the transfer?" she asked Iyu, who was protecting her head with her arm against the tiny glowing particles.

"Transfer complete" she confirmed.

"Good, put me on ship-wide again, if the com still works."

"All hands this is the Captain. We're abandoning ship. Please report to starboard docking port two. Repeat, all hands abandon ship. We're boarding the Republican cruiser via docking port two."

Making sure everyone got off the bridge she headed back to her quarters, hoping Jick'chii survived through the assault. Her pet was a survivor, just like she was.

"_Now where did my ficken First Officer go?"_ she thought annoyingly.

When Preed arrived at the brig he knew he _could_ already be too late. Could be. The access door toward the room was closed and two engineers were trying to seal off the section. When they noticed him they warned him not to enter. There had been a hull breach in this section and apparently the prison block had been affected by it. There was a microscopic crack in the ship's hull, draining away the oxygen, which was even more reason for him to hurry.

"Sir, you can't enter! It's very dangerous!"

"Do I have to tell the Captain, that her brother died because you two tried to stop me?" he asked, using his authority to do what he had to do.

The two crewmembers looked at him, their eyes growing bigger.

"No sir, but the oxygen's almost completely gone."

Without any further words, Preed rammed his flat hand on the control panel near the door to release the lock. The door slid open, producing a loud sucking sound when the air in the corridor was suddenly drained. A powerful wind rushed past him through the open door, quickly draining all available oxygen, almost taking him with it. The two engineers sped away, trying to get themselves to safety. He couldn't really blame them. It was dangerous but he figured he just had to be quick about it. With the noise of escaping air hurting his good ear, he forced his way inside, clamping the side of the doorway, careful not to get dragged with the wind. The invisible force pulling at his body was so strong that if he let go, he would be squashed and his remains sucked into outer space. He was still there, Sokarr. Lying on the ground, unconscious because of a lack of air to breathe. The forcefield was still there, flickering on and off. Making his way to the control panel, he rammed the button that removed the field.

Using the wall of Sokarr's cell for support he sunk beside his motionless body. The escaping air was getting harder and harder to breathe with each breath he drew. Trying to fling the unconscious Akrennian over his shoulder, he succeeded only half with that and tried to get out of the room as fast as possible. It was easier said than done with Sokarr's dead weight over his shoulder, his legs dragging over the floor. Gasping for breath he made it to the corridor, bringing up a hand to close the door and seal off the breach from the rest of the ship. Feeling exhausted because of his own lack of enough oxygen he fell on his knees, coughing and spitting, placing the body of Ayko's brother on the deck next to him. He felt dizzy and disoriented and his one ear singed. Trying to blink away the stars that danced in front of his eyes, he saw two more crewmen approaching him, both on their way to the airlock. Using the wall as support he pushed himself back on legs that felt like they were made out of rubber.

"You two, help me get him out of here. We're leaving."

"Yes sir" they replied in unison.

Trying not to show his current state of weakness to his sub-ordinates, Preed straightened his back and walked after them to the airlock.

"_Why did I save him? Why did I risk my own life to save the guy that is bound to cause trouble at some point in the near future?" _

Maybe it was that little chat he had with him before he locked him up. He didn't seem like such a bad guy, back then at least. It was strange. He didn't remember being a nice guy himself and some others felt the need to constantly remind him about that. The old Preed would've let him rot. Who cares anyway? One less problem to worry about. It was just the Akrennian way of doing things. But for some inexplicable reason it didn't feel right. The more he thought about it on his way to the airlock, he came to the conclusion that he could have done two things. Saving Ayko's brother could either be the biggest mistake he ever made, or the best thing he ever did, even if it was secretly part of his own hidden agenda. And every Akrennian had one, no matter how small.


	28. Chapter 25 Forged Alliance

**Forged Alliance**

When Joseph Korso heard that there was going to be a private meeting between Brigadier General Lance and Admiral Langley he never expected to be invited to that meeting, neither did he expect it to take place aboard a Coalition starship. Early in the morning of the next day, he together with several other Republican Captains, including a few of alien descent -to the annoyance of Lance, who still didn't trust non-Earthlings- had been summoned by Langley himself to one of the conference rooms in the Republican Fleet section of the city, only to find out that it was just the starting point of a little trip to Lance's ship. Apparently the meeting would be held there which clarified why Lance didn't like the alien presence in the room.

At the moment, Korso found himself onboard a standard issue Coalition shuttlecraft, speeding steadily towards the vacuum and to a solution to the problem that called itself the Seraphim. The shuttle, which was quite large and despite the unusually shaped chairs very comfortable was not exactly a vehicle that you'd expect to come from a thirty-eight century Earth. The Coalition was seven-hundred years ahead of them, technically speaking, but the shuttle, its design, the interior could just as well be one of theirs. It briefly brought up the question into his mind about technology evolving to a certain point where it couldn't evolve any further. The absolute limit of what was technologically possible. Did such a point exist? It obviously didn't bother Captain Michael Jericho who happened to be sitting next to him on the window side, watching the vertical city on the surface becoming smaller and smaller. He secretly admired the man a little. He was only a starship Captain for a short time, had already been through a lot and was severely injured during the battle with the Machine command ship, paralyzing him below his waist. It was due to a long and very complicated operation and his perseverance and strength that he was back in command of the _Arcadia_ again. He was a very friendly man and just as eager and curious as himself to see what was going to happen next.

"And, what do you think?" Korso asked, putting his one leg over the other. Jericho turned his head towards him and smiled.

"Think about what?" he said, scratching the back of his head.

"About this whole thing" Korso said, trying to keep his voice down a bit.

He didn't want others to think that he didn't fully trust the Coalition the way things looked now. He most likely wasn't the only one, judging by the reactions of most aliens after Lance's speech yesterday, but he didn't want to appear the only human who had his doubts. Jericho twisted his face a bit, as if he were hurt by something.

"To be honest I don't know. We could only end up making things worse. At the beginning of that meeting yesterday I still thought that there was a way to resolve this conflict peacefully but if I have to trust General Lance's words I better trash that thought."

Korso shook his head lightly.

"Hmm, I was never really the optimist but I still think you shouldn't throw it away with the garbage just yet."

"Do you know more than I or?-" Jericho said with a frown and a laugh.

Korso answered his laugh with a smile.

"No, but before we go to war we have to explore every other option. Everything's better than war. You see, if I understand correctly the Seraphim we're talking about here are outcasts, cold-blooded killers. For that exact same reason they've been banished by their own people. Now, the Seraphim are actually a peaceful race. Just because a handful of humans made a mistake in the past and turned the Seraphim against them, doesn't mean that _we_, the human race of another universe, have to make that mistake again."

Jericho was a bit surprised. The look on his face said that he was not sure if he heard it right.

"You suggest we… talk to _them_. Is that what you're saying?"

"I don't know. We can always try. If we can avert another war it's worth a shot. Do you think it's a crazy idea?"

Jericho heaved a sigh, running an absent-minded hand through his hair, which had traces of grey in it.

"Not sure. No offence but honestly, from what I heard I don't think that the Seraphim race wants anything to do with us humans ever again."

Korso thought about it for a moment, trying to place himself into the position of the Seraphim. You meet a new people, thinking they're peaceful and friendly and then a particular group of them turns out to be afraid of you and without warning annihilates a colony of innocents. Of course they wanted revenge. Any race would. But then after a long struggle, you've lost the war against those who killed your people and you're driven back to your realm. The longer he thought about it, the more Jericho's reasoning drove his own thoughts to the background, until he erased them himself, putting it out of his mind. He would have done exactly the same in their case.

"You may be right" he admitted.

"I don't think they give a damn about what happens to us. It's our problem now, not theirs. They probably think it's just a late payback. They got rid of their radical group of warriors and made it the problem of their worst enemy in the history of their race."

Jericho produced a sound that held the middle between a snort and a laugh.

"You almost make it sound like you agree with them."

"No I don't" Korso replied, rubbing his bearded chin.

"But wouldn't you have done the same in their case?"

"I guess" Jericho said, shrugging.

A gentle chime sounded over the intercom and the pilot's voice announced the end of the short trip.

"Attention Captains, we're approaching the landing deck. Don't forget your belongings on your way out."

Neither Korso nor Jericho had noticed that they'd already left the atmosphere and that they were passing the Earth space docks as the voice spoke. The other Captain's onboard were looking out of the window to see if they could catch a glimpse of the Coalition's military might and when Jericho moved aside to let him take a look he could very well understand the sighs of admiration from his fellow officers. Their shuttle, together with several others were on their way to the small Coalition fleet, holding position at a distance from New Earth. However, it wasn't the size of their fleet, which was composed of only four vessels, but the size of the ships that made Korso's mouth fall open as well.

"What the?-" he brought out before pure amazement sealed his lips together.

Four massive starships, each one bigger than any vessel ever build by any race part of the Republic were grouped together in a small formation. They were each more than twice as big as the _Son of the Empire_, the former pride of the Imperial fleet under the command of a Mantrin that had become his friend in only a short period of time. Now that he thought about the young Mantrin Prince, he also remembered that a new Ikana class warship would be cruising between the stars very soon. But even his ship, despite being the most powerful Mantrin warship ever built, wasn't as massive as these four. The most striking feature, was the radically different design of each vessel which instantly remembered him about the three factions of humanity Lance's people were once split in. The one on the left, from his point of view, was the most unusual, featuring a more rounded design. Very sleek, almost alien, slightly organic and seemingly innocent but Korso knew better than to trust on looks only. Under its graceful appearance, the powerful weapons in the known worlds were waiting to be deployed. It was hard to detect any windows as opposed to the others which were entirely different. The one on the right was maybe just as unusual but appeared less alien, featuring a more aggressive design with sharp edges, triangular shapes and spiky extensions of the hull. The one up front definitely had the most human design, one could even say more conventional, having a little more in common with the Republican ships. It looked a bit 'blocky' giving it a very tough appearance.

"_It almost looks like the old Earth battleships from before the fall of Earth"_ Korso thought, although it was much larger and likely to be way more advanced in its technology.

The last one, and the largest of all of them had a design that was composed of a bit of all three, giving the vessel its own unique look. This huge warship was elongated, had a massive command structure on top of the back and large hangar-like attachments to its sides. The front was taking by an array of large and undoubtedly powerful cannons, their barrels extending proudly into space. There was no reason to doubt that either ship had its own devastating array of weaponry but only this vessel had clearly visible guns attached to its hull. He didn't have time to check his theory as the hull was suddenly a lot closer and the cannons were removed from his sight. The shuttle was approaching the hangar-deck at a steady speed until it gradually slowed down when it reached the large opening. There was a quick series of flashes when the small craft passed through a force field, sealing off the hangar from space and making sure there was air to breathe for the engineers at work in the huge bay.

"Can you believe how big this thing is?" Korso said.

He hadn't even set foot on the deck and he was already overwhelmed by the sheer size of his surroundings when the shuttle turned and lowered itself to a landing spot between several other craft.

"I think it's about to get a lot bigger" Jericho replied, not able to tear his eyes from the window either.

A soft bump indicated the shuttle's landing gear touched the deck and the same voice as before confirmed that it was safe to leave the craft, followed by the hiss of the back hatch opening. When Korso stood up from his chair and left the shuttle via the back, he noticed the other shuttles that had accompanied them from the surface had landed nearby and Brigadier General Lance was awaiting their safe arrival together with their very own Admiral William Langley and a full military escort and security detail.

"This is more than a little overwhelming" Korso brought out, absorbing every single detail of the mega-sized hangar deck.

It was easily the size of half a dozen soccer fields and then to think that this ship had four of these hangars, two on each side. Their contents betrayed in an almost exaggerated way what this vessel was meant for. The shuttles were just personnel transports, made for transporting people from and to the surface of planets. There were just a few of them, and a small team of engineers had already begun checking their systems and performing the regular maintenance as soon as their passengers had disembarked. They were accompanied by some sort of tiny little maintenance bots that did all the work for them, error-free and with a precision that was almost frightening. Korso had heard about stuff like nano-bots, robots performing surgery and other jobs that were difficult for human hands but he never trusted his life into the hands of a machine, no matter how advanced or precise they might be. The other machines in the hangar were all built for one thing: war. Rows upon rows of fighter craft, gunboats and other machines designed for space battles. If that weren't enough, he looked a mile or so further into the bay, spotting more rows of tanks, walkers and a couple of huge craft to transport them. But the biggest machines were standing in the far back of the hall, easily recognizable, even from this distance.

"_These must be the Armored Command Units"_ Korso thought, spotting at least six of the giant mecha suits, currently the most powerful weapons known to exist.

Guessing they were at least thirty meters tall, they were still small compared to the height of the ceiling, which more than tripled their height. It was all his mind was able to interpret before Lance demanded everyone's attention.

"Captains, on behalf of the Colonial Defense Coalition I want to welcome you aboard the _Strength of the Coalition_. I'd love to sit around the table, show you around on the ship but as you all know we're on a very short time-frame."

He was very straight to the point and he kept emphasizing how little time they had. But he also gave Korso the impression that he wanted to get all of this done and get straight to the battles instead. His problem was that he didn't have enough people to launch a full-scale offensive and come out victorious. They needed each other's help and the Coalition wanted every Seraphim that left their precious quantum realm eliminated before they could cause any trouble.

"If you want to follow me please, then we can discuss what needs to be discussed."

Turning around, followed by Langley and his own personal security detail he headed for the doors that provided access to the ship's internals. Leaving the hangar bay behind -crossing it was a little trip of its own- they entered a wide and well-lit corridor. The group of nearly thirty starship Captains, of both human and alien origin, followed Lance and their own Commanding officer, Admiral Langley through the corridors of the ship, evading Coalition crewmembers, some of them clearly from a different faction, judging by their looks and decorations on clothing, face and in their hair. From the look of some of them it was hard to believe that they were all descendants of the same world and used to share the same beliefs. It was strange but not illogical that after a thousand years of fighting for your own cause, a sudden peace and cooperation makes clear how far each of the three factions had grown apart from the others. Each of the three had become a different sub-race of human and it wasn't hard to recognize who belonged to which.

Korso didn't know exactly where Lance was taking them but he did have the feeling that they were generally moving toward the middle of the gigantic vessel and up as they had already taken a turbolift or two. His feet were beginning to make him wonder if they would be there soon but in the mean time he wished he had an extra pair of eyes. Flying fully automated maintenance drones, holographic displays, massive windows that offered views of the ship's complex and enormous internals and the gorgeous view of outer space. This vessel was a warship, carrier, war factory and shipyard, was capable of FTL travel and was likely to carry the most sophisticated technologies the scientists of his Earth could ever dream of. It was beautiful in some way and he could understand the sounds of amazement made by his fellow Captains. However he was suddenly stabbed by another thought. A frightening thought and looking at Jericho, he saw that the Captain of the _Arcadia _was having the same one. _If the Coalition nearly lost the war against the Seraphim with this kind of equipment, then what exactly are these aliens capable of? _The thought was nearly as frightening as the thought of what would happen if they were forced to unleash this arsenal, even if it was their only option.

"_This ship has enough firepower on board to… to do what exactly?"_ Korso asked himself.

So far he had only seen thousands and thousands of machines designed and built to do one thing: to kill. The longer he pondered, the more he hoped it would never come to that.

After taking another turbolift he had the idea that they were moving up in the command tower on the back of the ship. He would love to see this ship's command deck but according to the General there was no time for sightseeing. They stopped somewhere in between and when everyone was accounted for they followed Lance into one of the large wardrooms of the ship. A huge wooden table, surrounded by many chairs took up most of the available space. The walls of the well-lit room were mostly dominated by screens showing ship's status and all kinds of other information. A huge panoramic window, adjacent to the entrance offered a spectacular view over the entire dorsal section of the vessel. Against the background of space and stars was New Earth in all its glory, the day-side currently turned towards them. This view however was obstructed from the point where Korso was standing, by the image projected by the holographic system built into the table's center. The image represented the logo of the Coalition and thereby the alliance between the United Earth Federation, Cybran Nation and the Aeon Illuminate, which name had changed to just The Illuminate after the formation of the Coalition. They didn't tell them the exact reason but it had something to do with the betrayal of a group of Aeon heretics who sided with the Seraphim during the war. The remaining Aeon loyalists renamed the group of true followers The Illuminate as it still was today.

As each Captain picked a chair as well as Admiral Langley, Lance welcomed two more of his own people to the meeting. They were both of the two factions other than his own and were about to represent the opinion of their respective groups. Though they were now united after thousand years and the Seraphim war had made them stronger as one, they were still very different from each other and it was hard to create a sense of trust after centuries of conflict, betrayal and murder. The one who wore the red colors, was a man, wearing some kind of cybernetic suit with all kinds of attachments instead of clothes. Korso almost mistook him for an android but those were easily repaired if they were damaged. The scars on the side of his face marked him as a human being and added to the aura of aggressiveness that surrounded him and he didn't look like the friendliest type of person. He was large and undoubtedly well-build under that suit and the insignia on his forehead and the machinery integrated into his skull betrayed that he was a Cybran. Even before he was asked to join this meeting Korso had done his research on the Coalition, its factions, its people and its weapons. The Cybran Nation was a highly technologically skilled group of people who had joined their bodies, their whole mind with an AI, allowing them to become walking supercomputers. They were given enhanced processing abilities in addition to their own mind. Therefore they were also called 'symbionts'. One body shared by two consciousnesses, one human, one artificially created.

"_Is he still in control of his own body?" _Korso thought, studying the guy, careful not to attract his attention by staring.

"_Can he still think for himself without hearing another voice answering?" _

It was interesting to see how far some people went to achieve perfection in some way. He was half man, half machine. How much did he give up becoming this way? The other person who joined the meeting was a woman dressed in long garments. She was just as interesting to look at, in her own special and somewhat mysterious way. Removing the hood of the mantle from her head, she revealed a remarkably young face, pattered by bluish tattoos on her cheeks and forehead that almost seemed to give off light. Long silvery white hair fell down on her shoulders and her intense blue eyes seemed to find Korso's for moment, making him look at his own faint reflection in the table surface. She had seen the way he looked at her and he was not afraid to admit it. She _was _stunningly beautiful but it were her eyes that made him look away. They reflected the soul of a stone cold warrior who wasn't afraid to face her next challenge on the battlefield and if necessary to die like one. Her voice was just like that. Cold and sharp, like a needle of ice but those who listened carefully would conclude that it could just as well be sweet as honey, if she tried.

"May I introduce to you, Commander Keith Shattan of the Cybran nation and the beautiful Commander Kendra Natal of The Illuminate."

Kendra gave Lance a made smile, piercing right through his attempt at flattery. She didn't like it in the least but decided to use a more subtle approach.

"Cut the flatter Maxwell" her voice cut through the air like a sharpened sword.

"Let's get down to the point."

Satisfied, she watched the smile disappear from the old man's face. Of course she had already seen the hopeful faces of the poor souls in the room. They were here for less than a minute and they were already thinking they had salvation itself in front of them. Where they wrong. They only had a handful of Commanders and less than half of them had enough experience to operate on their own against the Seraphim. And now Max was looking for more pilots in the ranks of these primitives? The battle would be over before it even began. And then there were these aliens they were supposed to work with. _Stay calm Kendra. Trust in The Way. You're worrying prematurely. _

"Right" Lance said, trying not to get on Kendra's nerves again.

He was the only one that remained standing and brought up a detailed cross-section of the ACU, as well as all different kinds of schemes and other loads of data on the holo. But then he decided that he didn't need all this stuff as it would already be complicated enough without it. Leaving just the detailed view of the ACU on, he began to lay out his plan to Langley and his 'most capable officers'.

"From what I understand, Admiral Langley here has selected you because you are the best military assets your Republic has to offer. You're all starship Captain's and have the most command experience."

Putting both his hands on the table, to be able to take a good look at all of them, he bowed slightly forward.

"This…" he continued, pointing at the projection above him, "…this is entirely different. In every aspect, it looks like nothing you have ever commanded, I can assure you that. But that doesn't take away that I still need your help."

He paused for a moment, so that everyone could wrap his or her mind around it.

"Before I continue I have one last announcement to make. Admiral Cunnington of the United Federation of Planets was supposed to attend to this meeting. However the Federation now has their own problem to concern themselves with and I don't think that it will surprise anyone of you that their problem is the same as yours. A group of Seraphim has invaded the Alpha Quadrant and the Federation has asked for our help as well."

He heard some people gasping for breath softly. And they were right. They better prepared themselves for what was about to come as things were about to get a lot worse.

"Don't make any mistakes. Anything that has even remotely something to do with the Seraphim and their presence _outside_ their quantum realm is our business as well. We want no repetition of the things that took place when it happened the first time."

"I think you've made that clear General" Langley said as tactful as he could.

He knew they were in danger. He knew that every world in this quadrant was in danger but now it was time to discuss what they could do about it.

"I certainly hope so Admiral" Lance said emphatically, looking at William directly.

He straightened his back, directing his attention at everyone in general.

"The Armored Command Unit, the most powerful war machine in the history of men."

"_He almost talks like he's proud of it" _Korso thought, questioning his reasoning.

Was it right to cherish the creation of a machine that was directly or indirectly responsible for the death of billions? If it for one time could be used to save as much people as it killed before maybe it was fortunate that such a machine existed.

"It is our weapon against the Seraphim and your only chance of survival. One man in command of an entire army of soulless machines. No pilots, no crews, no putting lives at unnecessary risk. The ACU is key. An army of almost unlimited size can be created anywhere, at any given point in time."

Lance put his hands on the table again, with a bang.

"The only thing I need is pilots. I have only a very limited number of people available for this job and as much as I hate to admit it, no offence intended here, you are your own chances of survival."

"Don't understand me wrong" he quickly added when he heard a few people muttering indignantly.

"I'm not saying that you don't have the brains and maybe even the guts to do this but normally it takes _months_ of intense training to become familiar with basic functions of the ACU and basic tactics on the battlefield, _years_ to successfully operate remotely and be called a true Commander."

"Except for the handful of people who have it in their blood" he added, with a quick glance at Commander Natal, who rolled with her eyes in response.

Lance smiled instead but before anyone could notice it was directed at her he turned his attention to the attendants again.

"We have until our enemy lets us know that they're ready for it. I need people."

The moment it was clear what his aim was everyone started talking to each other. Lance wanted people who were capable enough to pilot an ACU. To be ready to give their lives if duty demanded it.

"I'm not forcing anyone to do this. In fact, I strongly _dis_courage you to sign up if you're not absolutely sure you're up for it."

Someone raised his hand, a Captain Korso didn't know in person but he was human. A tall man with dark skin, bald head and a face that reflected his determination. He was older, had more experience in battles, judging by the marks they had left on his face and his voice sounded strong and confident.

"What exactly do you expect us to do?"

It was silent almost immediately after the question. Lance liked his determination. The faint smile spoke for itself but he was serious when he replied.

"If you make it through the evaluation and do well in training, you will achieve the rank of provisional Commander and your tasks will consist of supporting our Commanders in battle. They are your superior officers at all times and you are to follow their explicit orders without any objections. Is that clear Captain?"

"Perfectly sir" the human starship Captain replied, leaning back in his seat.

"Now, we've talked about our ways of waging a successful war" Lance broke through the whispering of a few.

"Which brings me to the next topic, one that could tip the balance in our favor, provided you have a few things we can use. What kind of weapons do you possess?"

"General, I'm sure you are aware of the fact that we have spent the past fifteen years wandering the galaxy, trying to survive. We don't have much in the way of powerful weapons that could help you-"

"I am well aware of that Admiral" Lance interrupted him.

"My question is: What _do_ you have?"

"We have the _Dominators_" Korso blurted out.

He didn't know if he had just stepped out of line by saying that but one of the reasons was that he simply didn't like the way Lance talked to the Admiral. Not entirely to his surprise William reacted in a friendly manor.

"Thank you Captain. By the way, wasn't the concept of those craft based on a simple design made by your science officer?"

Korso couldn't resist the urge to laugh.

"I believe Gune had laid the foundation for the concept indeed sir. At least it was partially based on his idea."

Lance frowned, having no idea what they were talking about, but he was still a bit amazed that they appeared to have something useful enough to be mentioned.

"Tell me, what exactly is this '_Dominator'_ of yours?"

"Well, I don't know if you've synchronized databases but can you bring up the schematic?" Langley asked.

Addressing the ship's computer Lance ordered it to search the database and a moment later the detailed schematic of the _Dominator_ superiority fighter appeared in front of everyone. The remote controlled craft immediately had Lance interested.

"Capable of traversing air, sea and space? That's something we can use" he murmured.

"Rapid-fire laser cannons, anti-missile point defense, torpedoes in submerged mode. I like it. This is something we can definitely use. Just a few modifications here and there and I don't see any reason why we can't start mass-producing this craft. I will have a couple of engineers study this in more detail. Thank you."

Korso responded with a quick nod.

"That will be all" Lance concluded.

"If you have no further questions. I wish you all a pleasant stay aboard the _Strength of the Coalition._"

"Wait" he suddenly exclaimed, when the first people wanted to leave their seats.

"You are all starship Captains but you might not be the best soldiers. If you know someone within your ranks that might be up for this task better than you are, have them report for evaluation as soon as possible. Just ask and tell them what I just told you. We don't want any people who are just tired of life piloting advanced military hardware while we're at war. Evaluations will begin within the hour. Thank you all."

While most people stood up to leave, talking about which members of their respective crews might or might not be qualified for the task at hand, Korso remained where he was, staring at the table surface, the deformed image of the holographic simulation, which had turned back to its original form of the Coalition logo, reflecting back at his face. He noticed Commander Natal standing up to leave as well but not without one last glance at him. He wondered what she meant by that but before he got the chance to even ask, she removed the beauty of her face from his sight with the hood of her mantle and left silently and with a fluid motion.

"Got someone in mind?" He looked up from the table, smiling when his gaze met Langley's.

"Yes sir" he replied, rubbing the short brown beard covering his chin, deciding it needed a shave.

The person he was thinking about once told him that it would make him look so much younger if he did. Maybe it was time to follow her advice. He felt the obligation to ask Akima to come to the ship, secretly hoping she would refuse but knowing she wouldn't. The only one who might stand a chance of talking her out of it was her husband.

"_Or maybe not"_ he thought.

Cale was good at persuading people but if Akima had really put her mind to something no one could talk her out of it.

"Tell me, who is it?" William asked, standing next to him.

Korso shook his head.

"Let's just say that she's always been part of the team that got my back in the direst of situations."

Leaving the room, passing the two security officers on their way out, Korso took a different heading than Langley and headed for the lower decks, looking for a mess hall of some kind. He didn't know why, but that meeting got him thirsty and he wanted a drink.

"_Now wait a minute, it's just morning"_ he realized, amused by the thought alone.

_Then I'll just order something non-alcoholic. _Walking through the ship's long corridors, totally unaware that someone was following him, he was suddenly dragged into a small sideway.

"One sound" a female voice whispered in his ear, poking into his back with something that could be a gun.

Keeping his mouth wisely shut he cooperated, his hand instinctively trying to find his blaster, only to find out that the holster was empty.

"Missing something?" the woman whispered again, poking in his back again with what he now realized was his own weapon.

"Damn you" he hissed back.

"Ah, ah, ah" she said, tightening her grip around his throat.

She was removing him further and further from the main corridor, into the relative darkness, making sure nobody saw what was happening here. Her voice had a touch of sweetness. As sweet as the smell of what could be perfume that entered his nose. Suddenly he knew who it was, threatening him with his own weapon but he never expected it.

"You" he said, the conclusion jumping to his mind.

Backwards passing another corner, making sure no one was here to listen to what they had to say she released him without warning. When he turned around, a little agitated by the way he was treated, he smoothed the wrinkles out of his uniform and looked into the shadowed eyes of Commander Kendra Natal who stared back at him from under the hood of her mantle, handing his blaster out to him. He noticed her lips curving into a smile, the bluish tattoos on her face shimmering mysteriously in the light of the dimly lit corridor. How did she manage to grab him so quickly and quietly with those impractical clothes on?

"What do you want?" he asked a little harshly, grabbing the grip of his blaster, checking the safety, which was still on, and putting it back in the holster.

Now that he came to think of it, he was a bit surprised that they had let him and all the other officers keep their side arms. However if all the people aboard this ship had as much skill as this particular woman, they wouldn't need to remove them.

"I just wanna talk" she said, knowing she didn't exactly earn his trust with that move of hers.

"Could've just asked" Korso grumbled, staring out of the nearby window into space.

Kendra stood next to him, removing the hood of her mantle. Her intense blue eyes made him feel the urge to do a step away from her, yet he didn't give way to her intimidation.

"I don't want Max to know that we spoke to each other" she said, deliberately looking at him.

"Korso is your name isn't it?"

"My friends call me Joe. Joseph is okay as well."

"Well Joseph, I may not be one of your friends but you seem like a reasonable man and I'm telling you to watch your back."

Now she had him interested enough to look at her directly. Trying not to focus too much on the way she looked, he tried not to act shocked in the mean time.

"What is this about, exactly?" he asked, genuinely surprised.

He just met her, not even in person and now she was telling him to 'watch his back'? _What have I gotten myself into this time? _

"Tell me, what do you know about the Coalition?"

Recalling everything he had read yesterday evening he carefully told her what those records told him.

"I know that you were all once part of a giant entity called the Earth Empire. Eventually it collapsed and you split up into three different factions who have been at war for centuries, until recently when the United Earth Federation made peace with the Cybrans and The Illuminate."

To his surprise Kendra laughed. It was subtle but it was a laugh nonetheless.

"They are good, are they?"

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"Peace Joseph. It all depends on your definition of peace and those who created it."

She sighed, slowly letting her breath escape, trying to come up with her definition.

"In what way do you think this 'peace' was created? Sitting around the table? Just forget about everything? The hate? The murder? The betrayal?"

"What are you trying to tell me? Are you still at war yourself?" Korso asked, still no idea what she was talking about.

When she shook her head he was glad that wasn't the case. But something was going on. Something Lance hadn't informed any of them about. He was almost afraid to know the answer.

"The UEF has always been good at hiding the truth. They did it before; they're doing it again. This so called 'peace' was _enforced_ by a single weapon that used our quantum gate network to destroy entire worlds. Billions of our people, _my_ people and those of the Cybran Nation. Gone within the blink of an eye. We had no choice but to surrender. Those genocidal maniacs would've exterminated us all if we didn't."

"I-I didn't know that" Korso stumbled, not knowing what to say.

He couldn't recall any of that from what he had read but now that she remembered him about it, something about this was said during the first meeting of the Senate when they discussed an alliance with the Coalition. Someone was trying to cover this all up. Was this what Kendra was trying to warn him for? Was she telling him not to trust her own people? Or at least the UEF side?

"Of course you don't. You think they would tell everyone about what they did?" Kendra said, knowing that this was only more proof that she had been right about her fellow UEF officers all along.

She suddenly went very serious, her voice getting a darker tone.

"I'm telling you Captain. Many of my people and the Cybrans are not satisfied with the way things are going. The UEF wants to keep us small, because they know what we can do if we unite against them. But my people don't fully trust the Cybrans either. The chipheads and their leader, Doctor Brackman have their own plans. That's one thing we can be sure of. If you want my prediction? This alliance will fall within the next thirty years. Some of us are even calling this a very long truce. When it is over, the _Infinite War_ will continue like the white flag was never waved. Keep that in mind once you meet Brigadier General Lance again and look him in the eyes."

Using her mantle to remove her face from his sight again, she left him standing in the dimly lit side corridor. Without a sound she disappeared from sight, leaving him dumbfounded. Why did she come to him? Walking back to the main corridor he was so caught up in his thinking that he nearly bumped into a member of the ship's crew. Apologizing to the man, he continued on his way toward the public areas. He wasn't sure if he should tell anyone. It probably wouldn't be what Kendra wanted. But now he was beginning to doubt if he should still ask Akima to sign up for that ACU training. If something happened and the Coalition would suddenly divide itself into three sworn enemies again, she would be caught in the middle of it and Cale would never forgive him if something happened to her because of his fault. But they could certainly use her. She could pilot anything. Having finally found a mess hall he sat down without ordering something first. There were lots of people here so using his wristcom wouldn't attract that much attention.

"Captain Korso to Akima."

A short moment later she replied.

"Go ahead Captain?" she responded.

"Akima I wanna talk to you. Can you meet me up here?"

"Sure Captain. I'll be there within the hour. Do you want Cale to meet you there as well?"

"That might be a good idea. There's something I gotta to tell your first."


	29. Chapter 26 A Broken Pair of Hearts

**Writing this chapter actually hurt me in some way. About halfway through I began asking myself if I should throw this chapter in or not. I decided to do it anyway.**

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**A Broken Pair of Hearts**

"But mom!"

"No more 'buts', no more objections. You're living in my house and under my rules. You're not going and that's final."

With those words her mother crossed her arms and turned ninety degrees, making clear she was done with this discussion. Her youngest daughter however was not. It was so unfair. Her mother treated her like a Mantry and Kiké had grown tired of people judging her by her size and her age. It wouldn't take long before she turned seventeen but no argument seemed good enough to convince her mother.

It was a beautiful day, a bit on the warm side, and it would have been the last day before the new _Son of the Empire_, the rebirth of the largest and most powerful warship of the Imperial Guard would leave space dock, under the command of Prince Kero himself. She was so proud to be assigned to it the first time. It was quite an honor to serve under the son of the Emperor himself and he wanted his old crew back on the new ship. Because he had worked with them before and because he had faith in them and trusted them. But now at the very last moment before the ship left on its first mission, her mother told her that she couldn't go for the exact same reason people underestimated her.

She was now standing in the living room, having spent fifteen minutes arguing with her parents, mostly her mother. The house of the Sijal family was located in the wealthier districts of Ta'keth. It was beautiful -having only one story just like most buildings in the city as stairs were not exactly a great invention for Mantrins- and pretty big, with a large garden surrounding it, the sweet smell of flowers almost always present in and around the house. However, the living room had never felt so small before. The only two people talking had mostly been she and her mother. Her sister Naea had wisely kept her mouth shut after her mother told her to do so and her father wasn't very helpful either, knowing he would never be able to chance his wife's mind. That had more than just one reason.

He and his wife were both members of the Fjetahna race. His wife's skin was a shade of light brown while his tended to a more grayish brown, with a lighter belly, characteristic black beaks, tufted ears, an extra long tail, and hoof-like feet. In addition, his wife had little tufts of fur growing on her elbows and ankles and a fiery red mane growing out of the back of her skull, which extended down her neck. She was also the one with the sharper claws and the attitude. That was one reason. The other one was that in Fjetahna sub-culture, the females were dominant, generally more powerful built and slightly more aggressive than their male counterparts. Two reasons why Kiké knew that her father would be of little to no help. He was smaller than his wife and didn't dare to say that he had a different opinion about matters like these. Her mother always boasted about the fact that she had two pure-blooded Fjetahna girls. She was proud of it and let everyone know when she got the chance.

"Dad, please!" Kiké pleaded, her bright orange eyes trying to find his.

"I'm sorry Kiké, but your mother is right" he said without looking at her directly.

She knew he was just saying that because he didn't want to start another argument.

"You just have to wait for a few more months."

"This is so uncool!" she grumbled, stamping her hoof-like foot on the floor of the living room.

She could hear the contents of her mother's cabinet rattling. They made her so angry, treating her like a child that couldn't take care of itself. Her father wouldn't mind. It was just that he was afraid to tell his wife.

"You're just afraid of her!" she shouted.

"Kiké, go to your room _now_!" her mother said, pointing upwards at the ceiling, her eyes, which were a bright shade of yellow, flickering with anger.

"It's not fair!" she shouted back, tears welling up in her eyes.

Turning towards the door she left the room, sad but above all angry. She slammed the door shut, deliberately giving it another hit with her long prehensile tail with the fluffy tip in the same brown-reddish color as her hair.

"Watch that tail young lady, or you're gonna be grounded for the next three weeks!" she heard her mother yell in response to the bang on the wood.

"_I don't care"_ she thought, furiously stamping up the stairs, creating a lot of noise on purpose.

She hated it when other people treated her like this, especially when her parents acted like she had just crawled out of the egg. It was so not true. She had proved it. She had been in battle. She knew there was danger but it was exciting and it was honorable and that's why she entered the Academy. Her mother hadn't agreed with that either but after much deliberation she had let her go, on condition that she would wait with joining the crew of starship. However, when the opportunity presented itself and she was offered to join the crew of the most powerful warship ever built, under the command of Prince Kero himself, her father surprisingly enough had managed to convince her mother. She had been so happy to wear the uniform, this time for real. Unfortunately the first _Son of the Empire _was destroyed in the battle for Earth, to save the human homeworld from destruction a second time, which was the main reason why her mother didn't want her to go.

"You could have died" she had said.

"You're much too young to put yourself into that kind of danger."

And if she asked why Naea had been allowed to go to outer space when she graduated from the Academy, it was because she was a year older when she did.

"I'm older than fifteen" she had objected.

It was the age at which most Mantrin races reached maturity, though they wouldn't reach their full height until the age of twenty. But her mother remained implacable, not allowing her to go anywhere but to her room.

Opening the door that had her name on it, she went inside and gave it the same treatment as the one of the living room. Cocking her tufted ears, listening if she could hear her mother yelling, which she did not, she sat down on her large soft bed, placing her elbows on her thighs and her face in her clawed hands. For a moment she just sat there, staring at the carpeted floor of her room, grinding her teeth. Then she noticed her own reflection in the large framed mirror, adjacent to her. Normally when she looked into that mirror, she saw a beautiful and happy young girl laughing back at her. Now all she saw was an angry face, making her want to throw something large and heavy at it to shatter the image.

"_Just look at yourself" _she suddenly thought.

_If you keep behaving that way, no wonder mom and dad treat you like a Mantry. _Placing her large triple-jointed legs a little further apart, she let her arms fall down beside her on the bed, making a face into the mirror. She almost had to laugh at how childish that actually was. When she was little, she used to spend hours in front of that mirror, doing funny stuff. Now she just used it for doing her hair. She had changed hairstyles not so long ago, growing tired of the same thing every day. She had divided her long brown-reddish mane into two long tails, each one bond together to prevent it from getting entangled. Small part of it was shorter, falling elegantly beside her face, covering her cheeks. She had such beautiful hair, long and silky and she was really proud of it, partly because her race was the only race of Mantrin known to grow hair at places other than the inside of their noses.

She heaved a deep sigh, not sure what to do. She had been looking forward to go back to duty. What would any of her friends say if she told them her mother didn't allow her to go? They would probably laugh at her, making jokes about it. She could just as well get rid of the red long-sleeved collared shirt and the matching pants that made up the uniform she was wearing. She wouldn't be needing it any time soon but she didn't really feel like changing. She had already packed most of her stuff. Everything she needed was neatly packed in the two suitcases standing in the corner of her room and she had done it all for nothing. Then suddenly her eyes caught the wooden flute in the stand on her bedside table. Without thinking she grabbed it, feeling its weight in her hands, the soft texture of the wood on her skin, remembering the beautiful tones it produced. It was in the family for a couple of generations now and her grandmother wanted her to have it, just because she played it so well according to her. She always felt a little ashamed that she didn't practice as much as she should. Her grandmother was convinced that she could master the instrument with the right practice.

_"Feel the music Kiké. Let it come to you. Play with your hearts, not with your hands."_

With her grandmother's advice in the back of her mind, she brought the flute to her lips and blew. The tone produced by the instrument was warm, inviting her to continue playing and she did, letting her feelings guide her music. The result was a beautiful melody, sad, like the way she felt at the moment. Her grandmother was right. She really _did _play well if she tried. She didn't know where the song came from or how she made up each following note but they just kept coming and she kept playing, her fingers dancing over the holes in the wood. She didn't know how long she had been playing until she was suddenly roughly disturbed by a knock on the door.

"Kiké?" Naea asked.

"Leave me alone" she said, wondering how long Naea, or anyone else had been listening to her playing.

For some reason it was hard for her to play when someone was with her in the same room or when she just knew someone was listening. It just didn't come to her as easily as when she were all alone with her feelings.

"Kiké, it's Jeth. He's here to see you."

She sighed, carefully putting the flute back on its stand. Sitting on her bed, pretending to be angry, she waited until she heard her boyfriend's voice.

"Kiké?" he asked carefully, his tone soft and gentle.

"Yes" she answered with a sad voice, watching the door's lever lower itself, the door opening just enough to let him in.

Jeth was Fjetahna too, with tan colored skin which had slight variations in shade on certain places of his body, striking green eyes and a face as if created by Kirliya herself. The plume on his long tail had a dark brown color and the little tufts on his ears had white tips. He was pretty well-built for a male of his race and around her size, though that could still change as neither one of them had reached their full height yet. Her friends always talked about how handsome he was which was one of the reasons her sister didn't fully trust him. Kiké didn't want to believe her sister that he would betray her. He was always so kind to her and he always gave her a feeling of safety when she was in his arms.

Jeth smiled, revealing perfect teeth which sparkled even more because of his black beak. Closing the door behind him with a soft click he approached her.

"Hey" he said, his eyes having a friendly twinkle when they found hers.

"Hey" she replied sadly, her ears sagging.

"Whoa whoa, why so sad?"

Kiké pulled her legs up to her body, wrapping her arms around her first set of knees, putting her beak in between.

"It's not fair. Mom doesn't let me go. I wanna go. We just got a call from Rilas that the ship leaves tomorrow and now I can't be there."

Rolling over she let go of her legs and buried her face into the pillow.

"It's not fair" she said again, her voice muffled by the pillow.

"I'm old enough to make my own decisions."

Jeth sighed, sitting down beside her on her bed, touching his hand to her shoulder.

"I know. But your mother loves you very much. She's just afraid that something will happen to you."

His girlfriend grumbled something inaudible, not in the mood for more of the same. He teasingly tickled her belly, which provoked a giggle from her. Then he did it again, the smirk on his face getting wider. He knew she wasn't really sad. He had never seen her sad before, especially not when he was around. When he did it a third time she finally got up and slapped his hand away.

"Jeth, knock it off" she laughed, trading in the pillow for his shoulder.

She looked at him, giving him a soft lick on his cheek. He gently returned the favor, caressing the edges of her ears which were very delicate, brushing with his short claws through her silky hair.

"I love you so much" he whispered, touching his beak to hers.

Spreading his legs a little he waited for her to move. Then he pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her body, her back against his chest, careful for her extra long plumed tail. Then he nuzzled with his head in her neck, eventually resting it on her shoulder, inhaling deeply. The sweet smell of her hair, the pleasant smell of her body, it was intoxicating. Sitting like that he slowly rocked her back and forth in his arms, feeling her warm breath on his arms when she nuzzled with her beak against his skin.

"Did you play that? The flute I heard."

"I-I'm not that good. I should practice more often."

"I think it's beautiful. Just as beautiful as you are."

She blushed a little when he said that.

"Tell me, what do you like so much about me?" she suddenly asked.

It was silent on the other side for a moment and she noticed the rocking had stopped. Removing his head from her shoulder, he let go of her.

"Well?"

"Ehh, I'm not sure. I guess I like you as a whole and not one particular aspect."

"Pick one" she said, flicking an ear.

Was this some kind of test? He absolutely didn't know what to answer. He didn't want to hurt her feelings so he just did as she said and picked something.

"Well eh, your hair is really beautiful."

That actually came out a little stupid and he wasn't the only one thinking that.

"My hair?" she asked surprised, with a hint of indignancy.

The reflection of her face in the mirror said more than enough. He shouldn't have said that.

"Jeth, you're not helping" she grunted softly.

"I'm sorry. Do you want me to go?"

"No no, please stay" she replied quickly, turning her head a little so that she could see him.

"Hold me."

Doing as she said, he rested his head on her back, his arms meeting each other in front of her chest. He breathed a sigh, closing his eyes, enjoying her company, the warmth of her body, listening to the relaxed sound of her breathing. Not sure if she felt the need to talk to someone he started talking to her.

"You know, I'm a little scared too when you go up there, all by yourself."

"Hmm" she murmured, resting her head on his strong shoulder muscles.

"I don't want anything to happen to you. It is dangerous up there in space."

"You're beginning to sound just like my mother" she replied, a hint of agitation slipping into her voice.

"Please Kiké, it's not a bad thing. I don't think that you're not up for it in the least but concern is a good thing. You've got people caring about you a lot. Your parents and sister love you and so do I. Try to understand them a little."

"I know" she said with a sigh.

She suddenly got an idea. Maybe she would cheer up a little if they went out together, drink something in _the Lone Warrior_, the place where all the youngsters living in this part of the city used to hang out in their free time. The thought just jumped to her mind cause she really didn't know what to do. The only thing she could think about in the past few days was going back to duty.

"Jeth?"

"Hmm?"

"Shall we go to the city and drink something together?"

"_The Lone Warrior?_"

"Where else?" she said with a chuckle.

"Sure, let's go."

Letting go of her, he gave her a playful tap against the tip of her tail. In a response she gave him a little tap against the side of his muzzle. It was meant in a playful manor and he actually enjoyed the touch of the silky plume against the side of his face. She stood up, smiling, brushing a lock of hair out of her face. Jeth gave her a really fond look, which made her want to crawl back into his arms once more. But instead, he stood up, laughing. Then he suddenly grabbed his forehead, the smile disappearing entirely from his face.

"Oh no I forgot" he said, stroking his left ear back.

"What's wrong?" she asked, flattening an ear, feeling that their little trip together had just been cancelled.

"I was supposed to meet with someone. A friend of mine. I-I'm really sorry Kiké."

"It's okay. I understand" she said, her ears sagging in response.

That was a sign that it was actually not okay and he knew it. Pulling her against his chest he gently licked the side of her muzzle.

"I'm sorry. I promise I'll make it up to you."

"I'll be fine" she said at a tone that did a good job at hiding her disappointment.

She had hoped that being together with Jeth for the rest of the day would help her forget about the whole duty thing a little. Now the craving thought of wanting to go away for a while became even stronger.

"I should go" he said, apologizing once more.

"Then go" she urged him, firmly squeezing his muscular shoulder.

Letting go of her, he left the room with a soft "see you again soon" as his last words. Kiké heaved a deep sigh, letting herself fall down backwards on her bed, looking up at the white-painted ceiling. Now she still didn't know what to do. Maybe going to _The Lone Warrior_ wasn't such a bad idea, even if she were alone. Most of her friends used to hang out there as well so at least she would have someone to talk to. But then they were bound to find out that her mother wouldn't allow her to go back to duty. _It's not fair. _Hitting the mattress with her fist a couple of times out of pure boredom she eventually decided to go anyway. Everything was better than just sitting here and whining in self-pity.

When she pulled open the door of her room she noticed that Naea was in her own room next to hers, packing her stuff. She obviously couldn't find something judging by the annoyed sounds that left her throat.

"Where is it?" she said, throwing her arms into the air in annoyance.

"Where's what?" Kiké asked, careful not to trip over something when she did the first steps into her sister's room.

It was a mess. Every drawer was open, her sister's stuff was lying all over the place and a pair of large suitcases laid opened on her bed, filled with clothes, uniforms and other personal belongings she wanted to bring with her to the ship.

"Oh hi Kik', I don't have a lot of time right now. I want to pack my stuff as soon as possible so I still have time to say goodbye to my friends. That is, if I can find my hairbrush!"

Kiké didn't know what she disliked more, the tone at which she spoke to her or that abbreviation of her name some people used despite the fact that she made clear she didn't want to be called Kik'.

"All right, I guess I'll just go then."

"No wait, sorry. I didn't mean it that way" Naea said hastily.

"In fact there's something I wanna to talk to you about. Come in."

Trying not to step on anything, which was difficult, she came closer. Naea would go away for some time without knowing when she could visit home again. She was dressed in uniform too, wearing the same red long-sleeved shirt and pants but with an extra pip on her collar, indicated her rank as Lieutenant.

"Be safe sister" she said, smiling, lightly rubbing between her younger sister's ears.

"No, you be safe" Kiké replied, smirking.

"Besides, I've got Jeth to protect me."

Naea gave her a wry smile and sighed.

"Yes I wanted to talk to you about him. I don't think you should trust him blindly."

"Why not?" Kiké said, feeling a faint anger grow inside of her.

They had this conversation before and then it also ended in a quarrel.

"I know you're gonna be mad at me for saying this again but you shouldn't trust every guy who's nice to you Kiké, especially guys like him. A guy with such good looks can get any girl just by smiling and showing his perfect teeth."

"Jeth is my boyfriend and he will never betray me like that!" Kiké snapped.

"I'm not saying that he will betray you. I'm only saying that you should be careful with him."

"No you don't! You just don't like him! Why are you so jealous? You've got Rilas and he's a really good looking guy too. Besides, he's your superior officer."

Naea sighed, knowing that they shouldn't part from each other like this. If something happened to either of them they would never be able to forgive themselves.

"Please Kiké, don't be mad."

"I don't wanna hear any of this!" her younger sister yelled.

She was ready to leave Naea's room, which she did eventually, with an angry whip of her tail. Her eyes suddenly caught the hairbrush Naea had been looking for all that time. It was a beautiful thing and she had a similar one. It was given to both of them by their mother and it was quite valuable as it was decorated with gold and a couple of gemstones in different colors. It had probably been lying on her desk but had fallen behind it in some way, hiding it from her sight. She bent down to grab it and put it on top of the desk with bang.

"Here's your stupid hairbrush!"

Kiké left, leaving her sister standing the middle of her room. Naea grabbed the brush from her desk, turning it over in her hands, looking at the door opening through which her angry sister had just disappeared. She could hear her footsteps moving down on the stairs. She sighed yet again. _I know you don't wanna hear my advice sister but please be careful._

Still mad at her sister, Kiké entered the living room, trying to hide the anger from her face when she found her mother. She was preparing dinner for tonight which would be a special one since one member of the family would be eating her last dinner at the table for some time, her father giving her a helping hand. Her mother made the most delicious meals and her father wasn't a bad cook either. Her mouth already began to water when she entered the kitchen and the smell of fresh ingredients filled her nose.

"Mom? Can I go out and meet my friends?"

Her mother looked over her shoulder, still half concentrated on the vegetables she was chopping.

"As long as you're home for dinner in time. Your sister is having her last meal tonight" she said a bit harshly.

Her mother was obviously still agitated about what happened earlier. Kiké's ears lowered in response, knowing she owed her mother an apology.

"I'm sorry mom, for yelling at you. I shouldn't have done that. And you too dad."

The sound of the knife cutting through ingredients stopped. Putting it down, her mother turned around to face her, cleaning her hands on the cloth draped over her shoulder.

"Apology accepted. I'm not mad anymore. But try to understand me a little Kiké. As your mother it is my job to protect my daughters, even if they're old enough to make their own decisions. I'm sorry but I still can't let you go."

"But why not?" Kiké nagged, feeling a stab of anger.

"Kiké, we've talked about this" her mother said, not leaving room for any more objections.

"Yes mom" she said sadly.

"Now don't be so sad. There're more things in life than starships and duty. Now go" she said, giving her a gentle nudge.

Feeling a little bit better, Kiké left the house, deliberately not waiting for her sister when she heard her coming down the stairs. She didn't really feel like talking to Naea now. Closing the front door behind her she walked along the path through the front garden of her home, welcomed by the smell of summer, the twittering of birds and the bright sun that managed to raise the temperature to above thirty degrees. It was warm but she loved summer. It was her favorite time of the year.

"_Maybe we can even go the park, cool off in the water" _she thought, closing the gate of the fence surrounding her house.

She loved water, she had always been crazy about it. Thinking about how to spend her time during the summer season she started walking towards the center of the city, saying hi to the neighbors when she walked past. Maybe staying at home wasn't so bad but she needed something to do.

Upon entering the _The Lone Warrior_, a café for youngsters where they could meet, hang out and eat and drink something she was immediately greeted by her friends who had already seen her coming through the large window. Her best friend, a Sogowan girl named Ailynn waved at her, signaling to come. It warmed both her hearts that they saved a seat for her. Maneuvering between the tables -it always busy in this popular establishment- she joined the group of girls who had glasses on the table.

"Hey, how are you doing girls?"

"Wow, don't you look sexy in uniform" Piraya, a large tough Goureg girl said, which was her way of complimenting.

"I bet Jeth faints every time he sees you like this" Shamae said, nipping from her drink.

"Sit down, we saved you a seat" her friend Ailynn said, patting on the stool next to her.

She sat down, smiling wryly, not feeling entirely comfortable. _What am I going to tell them? _Maybe it was better just to tell the truth. They would find out the next day they meet her anyway.

"Whoa, whoa" Jacky, a small Orketh girl said, shaking her head.

"No one sits at our table without a drink. Hey dude, give this girl something to drink!" she shouted to the barkeeper, a large Mantrin which had features from two different races.

Jacky was always like that. Coming from the colonies she didn't have a Mantrin name but what she did have was a really big mouth for such a small Mantrin and she just loved to spread the latest juicy gossip about anyone she didn't know in person. Her big mouth had gotten her into trouble on more than one occasion but the barkeeper already knew who he was dealing with here.

"What do you want?" he asked, his loud voice coming in handy in an environment like this.

"The usual" Kiké yelled back.

It didn't take long before her drink arrived and Jacky had just saved the best gossip for last. Of course she couldn't resist telling everyone about it.

"Do you girls know, that Daisha has a new boyfriend?"

Four girls shook their heads in response. They knew who Daisha was and they knew all too well that Jacky and she didn't like each other. Jacky bowed closer to them, lowering the volume of her voice for the best part.

"Now here comes the joke. They say that he's been in love before but with an Akrennian girl, can you believe that?"

Jacky was overcome with giggles and her friends couldn't help but laugh with her. They didn't even think it was _that_ funny but she just had such an infectious laugh. Eventually she grabbed her belly because it began to hurt.

"That's so stupid" she giggled, wiping the tears in the corners of her eyes away.

"Is he handsome?" Ailynn asked, flattening an ear, playing with her glass in her hands.

"Oh, who cares" Shamae said, looking at Kiké.

"I bet he's nothing compared to Jeth. He's so hot! Oh please Kiké, can I just borrow him for one day? Just one day?"

Kiké laughed, knowing that Shamae had been jealous ever since Jeth had his eyes on her friend. She didn't want to admit it and she had promised that she wouldn't bother them with it but sometimes she couldn't resist.

"Sorry, he's taken" she said teasingly.

"Ah, you're no fun" her Sonowan friend said disappointedly, resting her head on her arms.

"Get your own boyfriend Shamae" Piraya grumbled, emptying her glass with a big gulp.

"Yeah, but he's sooo cute."

"Well enough about her boyfriend" Ailynn decided, looking at her friend.

Kiké knew what was about to come. The look in her friend's eyes spoke for itself. She was definitely worried about her friend.

"You're going away again. I'm gonna miss you" Ailynn said, pushing her head to Kiké's shoulder.

"Yeah" she lied, cursing herself that she was too much of a coward to admit that her mother wouldn't let her go.

She didn't want them to think that she was such a mother's child. But she couldn't come up with a believable excuse either.

"Well go get 'em!" Piraya said, ramming her fist on the table, a little too enthusiastic as one of the glasses nearly fell over.

"That's right. You go girl!" Jacky cheered.

"Of course she can do it" Shamae said, smiling.

"If she can get a guy as nice as Jeth, she can take on the whole galaxy."

"Shamae, cut it off will ya?" Piraya grumbled, putting her elbow on the table, resting her head in her hand.

She snorted derisively.

"Whoa, sorry. I didn't mean to anger you" Shamae said hastily, backing away from her friend.

"Thanks for all your support girls" Kiké said a bit shy-ish, hoping they would forgive her for lying to them once they found out the truth.

"Anytime" Piraya said with a wink, giving her a rough pat on the shoulder.

"Ah, she doesn't need it. She can take care of everything" Jacky laughed.

The Orketh girl raised her glass which still had something in it. After Piraya had ordered another drink they all raised glasses and clanged them together for a toast.

"To Kiké, that she may conquer the galaxy and beyond!"

"Girls, you're making me blush!" Kiké said, feeling her cheeks and ears turn a different color.

But after that she was already glad they switched subjects and didn't talk about it for the rest of the afternoon.

Eventually it was time to go home. She had been keeping a close eye on her wristcom's built-in chrono as she didn't want another collision with her mom and decided to go home a little earlier just to be on the safe side. Her friend Ailynn always had a little trouble saying goodbye. Normally she would be right but at the end of the afternoon she still hadn't told them the truth. After a lot of goodbyes and a couple of hugs she left _The Lone Warrior_ and headed home at an easy pace. It was almost summer, still quite warm as the sun would be up for another hour or two. The paved streets of Ta'keth were still filled with people and with air cabs and other personal flying vehicles as the only methods of transportation, the streets were clean and safe and the playground of many children.

But when she passed one of the local restaurants called _Lost Paradise_, a favorite place of her parents as they served the most delicious delicacies and because it was expensive, she heard a familiar voice. It was Jeth's voice and he was with someone else. She couldn't resist trying to find out who he was talking to, especially when the replying voice was a girl's voice. When her legs had taken her to his position she hid behind the wall of the restaurant to listen. Fortunately her race was blessed with such good ears as they were standing on a more quiet side road at some distance from her and she didn't want him and whoever it was talking to him to know that someone was listening.

"…is all a little overwhelming" the girl said.

"Do you think we're going too fast?" Jeth replied.

"I'm not sure. You still have that other girl right? Maybe we shouldn't see each other so often."

It was as if two fists of ice had just grabbed both of Kiké hearts. She was suddenly feeling very warm and her hearts were both pounding in her throat. She got a very nasty feeling in her stomach too. _Jeth, what is this all about? _She couldn't believe it. She didn't want to believe it but something told her it was true. _No, it can't be. _

"Cassy, it's nothing. Kiké is, well she's just a girl. We're no longer together. It's over between us."

"I'm not sure."

"_Cassy? What kind of a name is that?" _Kiké thought.

She was obviously not from here. She _was _a Mantrin, but not from Sogowa. She was from the colonies, given a name by an alien parent. There were two emotions currently building up inside of her, threatening to overwhelm her. Anger and sorrow were blocking her throat. Her breathing became irregular as she fought back the tears, balling her fists in anger. How could he do this to her?

"It's okay Cassy. You know I love you."

Kiké couldn't believe what she saw when she stepped out of her hiding place. She had to watch her boyfriend, the nice guy from whom she thought that she was the only one for him, make love with another girl. They were locked together in a passionate cuddle on the middle of the street. The girl laughed when he licked behind her ear and she allowed it. It took some time before Jeth noticed she had approached them and she could clearly read the shock on his face when his eyes found hers. Cassy, a small Sogowan girl quickly released herself from his arms when she saw the Fjetahna girl with the tears in her eyes standing near them.

"Jeth, who is this?" she asked.

Jeth was silent. His beak had fallen open and he knew he was caught red-handed. There was no way of denying it.

"How long?" Kiké asked, her voice shaking, her ears drooped down.

"Kiké, I… I didn't…"

Cassy's eyes were flashing from her boyfriend to the other girl. She didn't know how to react to this sudden discovery. All that time, Jeth told her that he was single again. That he and his girlfriend broke up their relationship. Had he been lying to her?

"You deceived me all along, didn't you?" Kiké sobbed, the tears streaming down her face.

"You tricked me into thinking that I was your loved one and in all that time you were seeing her. And I fell for it."

"Kiké, it's not what you think. It's just…"

She didn't let him finish. No excuse could make up for what he did. It was clear. He could've just said so instead of cheating on her.

"Everything you said. Every time you said you loved me. It was all a lie, wasn't it?"

"Kiké, you don't understand. I wanted…"

"No, I understand just fine."

He approached her, extending his hand, wanting to touch her shoulder. She wished he could do that, that they could be together again. But he betrayed her and she would never forgive him for it.

"My sister tried to warn me for you and I didn't want to listen to her. I'm so stupid!"

He shook his head. At least it seemed like he was sorry but it was time to follow her sister's advice and pierce right through that look.

"I'm sorry. I never…"

"Don't touch me" she cried, doing a step back.

"Just go away. Go back to _her_. Never come back."

Then she ran off, tears streaming down her cheeks, without looking back. He had broken her hearts. Smashed them with the hammer of betrayal. She hated him. She never wanted to see his face ever again, yet she already knew, she would never be able to erase it from her memory.

"Kiké, please let me in" Naea pleaded, trying her sister's door.

All she heard was crying and her sister yelling "go away."

She had tried to warn her and now she found out the hard way, which was even more difficult for her. Not knowing how she felt at the moment she could only imagine. If Rilas ever did that to her she wouldn't care that he was her superior officer and rip his head off with her bare hands. In fact she had already made that clear to him in her own subtle way. But her anger towards Jeth was burning like a newborn sun. He hadn't seen the last of this, she promised that to herself and her sister. Then suddenly, out of nothing the tick of the door being unlocked sounded, allowing her to enter. Carefully entering, what she saw made her angrier than ever before, but she carefully hid it while being in presence of her sister. She was lying on her bed, crying, her tears having made a huge wet spot on the sheets.

"Poor girl" Naea said, sitting on the side of the bed, rubbing her sister's shoulder.

"You really loved him did you?" She nodded, then she looked up.

"I trusted him. And he betrayed me."

She snorted, suddenly throwing herself into her sister's arms.

"I could have said: I told you so but I can't Kiké. This is terrible."

"I'm… so sorry… I didn't want to believe you."

"Shhh, it's all right. I've already forgiven you."

Slowly rocking her sister back and forth in her arms, Naea felt her anger grow. Eventually it became too much. _You are so dead Jeth. _Carefully letting go of Kiké, she stood up, grinding her teeth, audibly blowing air out of her nostrils.

"What are you going to do?" Kiké said, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

"There's something I have to take care of Kiké" she said calmly.

"Where is he anyway?"

"Near _Lost Paradise_,but…"

"Don't worry. I won't hurt him… _much._"

Turning around the last corner of the road where Kiké said she had last seen Jeth, Naea was boiling with fury. As soon as she came closer her claws began extending and retracting themselves, her hands shaking with restrained anger. She was afraid that if she balled her fists, they would puncture her skin.

"_Nobody hurts my sister and gets away with it" _she thought, furiously turning her head left and right to see if she spotted Jeth.

There was no sign of him here.

"_Coward. Probably just turned tail and run_._"_

But then her ears caught the sound of the voice she knew all too well. Her claws extended to their full length in response, ready to put her autograph into that pretty face of his. Then she spotted him, with the other girl, a Sogowan by race. They just entered another side road and were obviously in the middle of a heated discussion.

"Cassy, I told you. She's confused. I broke up with her some time ago. She's obviously still thinks that we're in love."

"Jeth, are you sure about that? Cause it looked kinda serious to me."

Before he could reply he spotted Naea in the corner of his eye. The look of feverish anger in her eyes told him it was better to run away, though his legs suddenly seemed unable to take him anywhere.

"You!" Naea shouted, bringing back her hand.

"Naea wait, I never wanted to hurt her feelings. Please listen to me."

He shouted when her claws cut through his skin. He groaned and grabbing his face when the fiery slashes of her claws burned in his flesh. He barely had time to respond or even defend himself as he was roughly grabbed by his shirt and rammed against the nearest wall.

"How could you do this to her?" Naea shouted in his face, putting her fists at work.

The first blow came to his other cheek, then another to the left one, the wounds inflicted by her claws leaking blood on his shirt. She didn't give him time to recover and rammed her upper right knee, into his stomach. He doubled over and collapsed to the paved road, clamping his stomach.

"What are you doing? Are you crazy?" Cassy screamed, trying to withhold Naea from beating him up even further.

She already had her hoof-like foot ready to break a few ribs.

"I'm sorry" Jeth said, looking up, his tears mixing with the blood on his left cheek.

Naea glared down her muzzle, panting, not sure if she should just put him out of his misery.

"I just couldn't choose. I had two girls loving me and I didn't want to hurt their feelings."

Pulling her arms from Cassy's grip, Naea shot the girl a dangerous look.

"Why are you protecting him? You better find yourself another boyfriend before he puts you aside for somebody else as well."

Cassy didn't reply but that was mostly out of shock. In the mean time Naea lowered herself to Jeth, who was still clamping his stomach while the blood trickled down his face. Baring her sharp teeth, she lowered the tone of her voice when she spoke.

"Mark my words" she hissed.

"If you ever come near my sister again, if you even look at her the wrong way, I'll _kill_ you. You got that, you worthless piece of shit?"

Cracking her knuckles, she left with a last whip of her long tail.

"Cassy wait!" she heard Jeth yell.

"No Jeth. It's over. I know what kind of guy you are now. You pervert."

A faint smile crept along her face as she headed home, her long mane dancing in the mild breeze that brought some cooling on this late hour of the day. Now she just had one last thing to do.

"Hey. Hey Kiké wake up" Naea whispered, shaking up her sister, who was still lying in bed.

Her clawed hands were clamping the sheets and she was obviously in the middle of a dream.

"Hmm, five more minutes Captain" she murmured, turning over to the other side, crawling deeper under her blanket.

She was glad her younger sister hadn't locked her door, as she usually did, which was a bit strange considering what happened yesterday. She had barely eaten from her mother's delicious meal and had locked herself in her room for the rest of the evening. She felt so sorry for and therefore she had to do this, as her sister.

"Kiké!" she hissed, a little louder know, shaking her sister's shoulder with both hands.

The longer she was here, the bigger the chance their parents would find out that she was trying to sneak her younger sister out of the house.

"W-What?" she said groggy from sleep, her eyes having trouble adjusting to the darkness of her room.

Wondering why Naea would show up in her room in the middle of the night she managed to lift her head off her pillow.

"Naea" she nagged.

"I'm not in the mood."

"Shhh!" her sister hissed.

"Do you wanna go with me or what?"

"What?"

"Never mind, get out and put on your uniform. Don't turn on the lights. It's early so mom and dad are still asleep."

If the lights had been on she could have seen the expression of disbelief on her sister's face while she tried to wrap her mind around it. When it finally came to her what her sister tried to do she was out of bed quicker than Naea would have expected from her.

"Mom will kill you if she discovers that you helped me sneak out."

"Then we have to make sure that she finds out _after _we left orbit."

"You packed your gear right?"

"Uh-huh" she whispered.

"I'll get it downstairs. We'll eat something on our way to the ship. Just… put on your uniform and wash your face. And brush your teeth. You don't wanna stand in front of the Captain with that breath."

While her sister grabbed her luggage and dragged it downstairs she put on her uniform, which cost a great deal of effort in the dark and because she was still half asleep. Hoping that her mother wouldn't catch them she grabbed her sonic toothbrush and headed for the bathroom, very carefully closing the door of her room, trying to be as quiet as possible and hoping the sound of running water would not wake up her parents. Was she glad she had packed all the important stuff the day before and hadn't unpacked it yet.

After she finished with the essentials -she always considered her hair one of them too though now she didn't have time to think about her looks- she sneaked downstairs, which was a little difficult for her species in general but her hoof-like feet had the tendency to be noisier. The space in the hallway was taken by suitcases but her sister immediately handed her hers and pushed her towards the door.

"Get out quick, I'm right behind you."

Opening the door, feeling the cool breeze of the early Sogowan morning on her face she did the first step outside.

"Naea?"

Her hearts suddenly skipped a few beats when she heard her mother's voice coming from upstairs. In a response she was pushed in her back with considerable force which nearly caused her to trip with the heavy suitcases in her hands. A soft cry escaped her beak but she managed to keep herself from making anymore sounds that could betray that there was one person to many out of bed.

Closing the door a little, to remove her younger sister from her mother's sight, Naea put her suitcases down on the floor and gave her mother a warm smile.

"Eh hi mom. I'm going."

"Aren't you a bit early? Who were you talking to?"

"To Rilas, on my wristcom" she lied.

"He wants me to come a little earlier, show me around on the ship."

Her mother breathed a sigh, walking down the stairs to give her oldest daughter one last hug.

"Be safe" she said, her arms flung around her neck.

"I will mom" Naea promised, rubbing her mother's back.

Her mother released her, giving her a soft lick on her cheek.

"You do understand why I can't let your sister go with you? It's so dangerous up there. I already have trouble letting _you_ go."

"Don't worry mom. She's a tough one. She can take care of herself. You just have to let her."

"I don't know. After what happened with Jeth" her mother replied with a sigh.

"I'm glad I have her home for the time being."

Kiké who was standing outside, listening to the conversation got a lump in her throat. Now she was actually feeling sorry for harming her mother's trust.

"_I'm really sorry mom. I really am"_ she thought.

"Goodbye my daughter."

"Dad" Naea said, a little surprised when her father came down the stairs as well. He softly squeezed her muzzle giving her one last hug too.

"Make me proud" he said with a laugh.

"I will" she said with a laugh, grabbing her luggage, hoping Kiké wasn't standing out there in the open.

When she opened the door she was glad she didn't.

"Goodbye Naea, try to link us now and then."

"Don't worry. You'll hear from me soon."

After she left the front garden, her parents had finally closed the door and she actually let out an audible sigh of relief. Her sister had been hiding behind a bush and smirked, her grin getting wider when she realized they made it out without being caught. Naea couldn't help but laugh too.

"That was close. Let's go."

"Thank you Naea" Kiké said sincerely, her ears lowering.

"That's what sisters do for each other" Naea replied.

They would be taking an air cab to the spaceport which was outside the city. There was a small stand nearby so they didn't have to walk far. The sun was about to announce the beginning of the next day when the two girls left off for their next big adventure into the great unknown.


	30. Chapter 27 New Voyages

**New Voyages**

"Father, you really didn't have to go through so much trouble just to bring us to the ship. We could´ve taken an air cab to the spaceport. They always have plenty of Imperial Guard shuttles standing by."

The Emperor´s personal transport ship was built for travelling small distances only. The craft was relatively large for a transport, luxuriously equipped and in an emergency even capable of reaching warp speeds if only for the short period of two hours maximum. It was mostly used for travelling between the surface and the vacuum of space as the Emperor always relied on a large and powerful warship for travel between systems. He never went anywhere without a full security escort, much to his own annoyance sometimes and his ship was always accompanied by at least two other warships. Kero doubted that his father had any real enemies. There were no people who would benefit from his death but it was better not to assume anything, especially in these times where space was about the least safe place where one could find oneself.

"Nonsense Kero" Zahn said jovially, patting him on the back.

"I want to see that beautiful ship of yours."

He wasn't the only one. Even The'lah and his brother Rajah had come with them this time as well did Ganyu. Stith's father was honored to be invited to the ship and Kero even offered him to stay aboard for the duration of the mission which could be the most important one in history of the Mantrin species. At first, Ganyu had politely refused the offer, saying it was too much but when the Prince insisted he decided to come along. A temporary transfer was arranged in no time with his current Captain, who had no choice but to surrender his First Officer to the son of the Emperor. Kero ensured him that it was only temporary but it was really just Ganyu's choice. He could decide to stay or even get his own command with his experience. But for now he was sitting proudly next to his daughter, a little nervous, the behavior of his tail a sign of that.

"I wonder what they did to her" Rajah said, crossing his massive arms.

"I didn't even have time to take a good look last time."

"According to my First Officer Rilas, she received numerous upgrades but I'm as much in the dark as you are" Kero replied.

"He didn't want me to board until everything was in perfect working order. That's why the launch was postponed. Turned out some glitch in the main computer crashed several subsystems."

"I just wonder what kind of weapons I get to play with this time" Stith said, the edges of her beak curving into a smile.

"You really love shooting, do you?" Rajah laughed.

"Have you considered joining the EAF instead?"

"The thought crossed my mind" Stith replied with a grunt, smirking.

"But then I'm gonna miss your brother too much."

Kero smiled and felt happy when she said that. Even if she did join the EAF, it was her decision to make but she just admitted that she couldn't be without him. Little did she know that it was more of the other way around. Another point was that he doubted he could find a tactical officer with her skills on such short notice.

"Please be careful you two" The'lah said worriedly, placing her hand on her son's shoulder.

"Oh don't worry mom" Kero said, placing his hand on hers.

"I'll keep an eye on 'em" Ganyu offered, looking at his daughter.

"Well look at that" The'lah said, smiling.

"It's a comforting thought that wherever my children go, there's a parent to keep an eye on them."

Ganyu answered with a smile.

"I'm glad to have you with us dad" Stith said, her copper-colored eyes shining with joy.

"Before deciding to go with you I was worried too Stith, just like any parent would be. I just got you back and I don't wanna part from you so soon again."

She gave him a warm smile, enjoying the fact that they didn't have to part indeed. She didn't want to make everyone more worried than necessary by admitting that openly.

"I'm sorry to disturb you my lord, but we're approaching Sogowa III" the pilot's voice sounded over the intercom.

"Well, what are you waiting for? An invitation? Open up" Zahn said cheerfully. "Aye, aye."

The walls of the passenger lounge of Zahn's little ship were actually a large panoramic window covered by blast shutters to protect the ship from any impacts in case the deflector shield didn't work. Once open they presented the passengers with a marvelous view of outer space as if the ship wasn't there surrounding them. The window was equipped with the necessary filters to block out any harmful radiation and to keep the intensity of the light from the Sogowan sun well within acceptable levels. But other than that it was a clear view of whatever was out there. And when they were beginning to open themselves they all stood up from their seats to take a look outside. Against the background of Sogowa III where most of the industry was located to keep their homeworld free from any pollution the Mantrins had built the Imperial shipyards in orbit of the large planet. Dozens of dry docks for construction and maintenance of the Imperial fleet and a large space station as a command center for all dry dock and fleet operations. The Imperial High Command was seated here and they were responsible for the coordination of forces in the whole quadrant. But the thing that easily caught the attention and drew sounds of admiration from everyone was the largest of all space docks. It was visible even at this distance.

"By Kirliya" Kero brought out, being the first of everyone.

As the ship glided through space, covering the remaining distance to the dock pretty fast, he remembered the size of the ship he used to command. The hull was practically identical to the first one, huge, elongated, with a large command structure up front on top of a double wing design which held most of the forward weapons array. The tail of the ship ended in a cross-shaped fin construction holding the aft set of engines. The other set was integrated into the larger of the two wings up front to provide the extra thrust needed to move a ship this size through space without sacrificing too much on maneuverability. There were some differences though, the biggest change being a large fin underneath the forward bow, mirroring the command tower, but smaller. Kero could only guess what these extra decks were used for. This upgraded design was also slightly longer than the first _Son of the Empire_ if only by a couple of dozen meters. But even without that, she was with distance the largest ship in the fleet.

"I'd almost forgotten how big she was" Kero said as they flew past the outer structure of the space dock holding the vessel in place.

Rajah let out a whistle of admiration.

"Think you can handle her?" he said teasingly.

"Better than I can handle you" Kero replied sarcastically.

His brother frowned but smiled. He sure was right about that one.

"I don't know that much about starships but she's really beautiful" The'lah said, stepping closer to Kero and the Mantrinesse she had considered her daughter from the moment she fell in love with her oldest son.

"She sure is" Zahn said proudly.

"I can't believe that my daughter has already served on a ship like that" Ganyu said to Stith.

"You can't make me more proud."

Touching his beak to his daughter's, his eyes fell on her highly pregnant belly. At that moment, a soft tremble went through the ship as the pilot connected with the docking port of the space dock. They vaguely heard the sounds of air seals and the docking port being pressurized until the pilot announced that it was safe to go to the other side. That was the moment of goodbye and the perfect moment for The'lah to express her concern. She was sweet and caring and carefully placed a hand on Stith's belly.

"Please be careful" she warned her.

"I've already informed the ship's doctor" Kero tried to reassure his mother that the safety of their children had already been arranged for.

"The infirmary is fully equipped to even handle the birth of children."

"Still, please come back as soon as they're born. A starship is no place for young children. They need to grow up some place safe."

"I will The'lah, don't worry too much" Stith said with a nod.

She turned towards the door leading to the airlock, followed by her father. Kero wanted to go with them until his mother grabbed him and pressed him against her for just one more time. He gently patted her back.

"It's okay mom. I won't be gone for that long."

"I hope so" she said, grabbing his face and pressing her forehead on his.

"Now go" she urged him, before she found herself unable to part from her son.

"Have faith in yourself my son, and you can do anything" Zahn said, giving him all the self-confidence he needed.

Kero flicked an ear when he looked over his shoulder, noticing his brother smirking, giving him a wink. Then he left with a last whip of his tail.

His father's ship left almost immediately when he set foot on the deck of the space dock. The quartermaster was already there, bowing for Stith and Ganyu.

"_Well, there's no turning back now"_ he thought, squaring his massive shoulders.

"Welcome Prince Kero" the crossbreed Mantrin in charge of the docking installation said, making a slight bow for him.

He was accompanied by several Imperial Guard officers who all followed his example.

"The ship is almost ready for departure. Is there something you'd like to do before proceeding to the ship?"

"Please" Kero said, gesturing him to lead the way.

The corridors of the space dock were well-lit, very wide to accommodate even the largest members of his species and the large windows on his right offered a view of the magnificent ship, a remarkable piece of engineering and a truly beautiful sight. Hundreds of windows spread their light over the armored hull, which was close enough for him to count the individual hull plates. Following the quartermaster, who seemed to be a little nervous by his presence, he began to wonder how many of his old crew would be walking around on the ship next to him. He was pretty sure to also see a lot of new faces but he hoped they all still had the confidence to serve under him.

"She's yours to enter Captain" the quartermaster said, gesturing with his clawed hand in the direction of the airlock, when he arrived at the forward left one of the four docking ports connected to the ship.

The airlock doors automatically opened for him when he approached with Stith and Ganyu. "Safe journey Captain."

"Thank you, you are dismissed."

The Mantrin made a slight bow after which he disappeared from sight when the first set of doors closed. The second set opened shortly after that and what he saw made clear that his crew had been informed of his arrival on the space dock. A full security escort was standing at attention along the walls, bowing slightly as soon as his large clawed foot touched the deck, the seal of the Imperial Guard cut out into the metal under his feet.

"Captain on deck!" a high ranking officer, a Soneg by race, announced who stood between the two rows of men and approached him after which he sunk on one knee.

His men didn't follow his example but kept staring straight ahead, not moving an inch.

"At ease" Kero ordered, in an attempt to remove some of the tension.

"Prince Kero it is an honor to have you as our Captain. The ship and its crew are awaiting your command. I hope everything will be according to your wishes."

He turned his attention to the other people who had just arrived and made a slight bow towards them too.

"Princess, Commander, if there's something you want I'm sure it can be arranged."

Kero flattened an ear. He didn't want to start by immediately telling that it was not so he tried to put it mildly.

"Well, you can start by telling me what happened to my First Officer."

The Soneg Mantrin stood up, straightening his back, his height increasing drastically.

"Yes Captain. Commander Rilas is very sorry that he's not here to receive you and your wife. He's making the last of the necessary arrangements for departure. I'm sorry if that displeases you Captain but he wanted to make sure that everything's perfect."

Kero let out a mental sigh. He couldn't get used to that subservient behavior of some people when they met him for the first time. In the past there had been Emperors who demanded nothing but the utmost respect from all their subjects but his father had always wanted to get rid of those old ideals. They were old-fashioned. These were modern times. Of course it was tradition and polite but it still made him wish often enough that he was just a normal guy.

"It's okay Commander" he said calmly.

"I'll just head for the command deck. I'll meet him there."

"Yes Captain."

Again he made a slight bow after which he dismissed the security detail and began guiding them towards the bridge, the nerve center of the ship in which all command and control functions were established. On his way there, he and Stith ran into various crewmembers who greeted them politely, often making a slight bow and not looking at them directly as that used to be considered disrespectful. He was glad when he recognized a couple of the faces. It seemed that a big part of his old crew was still eager to serve under him. The corridors were large, well-lit and hadn't changed much from their original design. He inhaled deeply through his nose, letting his breath escape slowly through his mouth and turned to Stith, who walked behind him.

"Recycled air. I'm gonna miss home" he said, already wishing for the smell of the palace gardens.

He had gotten a little used to it, the absence of the smell making him homesick already.

"You're making it sound like you don't wanna go" Stith said with a frown.

He smirked, revealing two rows of sharp teeth.

"That, I didn't say."

The Soneg officer guided them all the way to the bridge and when they arrived there and the doors of the large turbolift opened, the first thing Kero and Stith noticed was that a couple of things did change here.

"Captain on deck!" the large Mantrin yelled.

Everyone stopped with what they were doing and stood at attention immediately.

"At ease" Kero ordered, walking towards the center of his bridge, where the seal of the Imperial Guard was imprinted in the deck plating.

A brand new Captain's chair was standing in between two others, one for his First Officer and another for special guests and that one was currently reserved for Ganyu. Stith's father was so amazed, he didn't know what to say. Of course he had served on a starship for several years but this was different from what he was used to. The bridge of the Ikana class warship was huge, more or less circular and quite modern in its design, which had seen several changes from the first version. The area in the middle was reserved for the commanding officers for a good overview of each of the stations while a large main viewer dominated the front. The sides and front were taken by a couple of different stations and a large screen in the back together with another large console with a built-in holographic system could be used for running tactical simulations. The Captain's ready room was to the left and that was where Kero would spend most of his time while not on the bridge.

Looking around a bit, he noticed there were only a few members of his bridge crew present. The ship was scheduled for launch in about twenty minutes and he was still missing some members including his helm and his First Officer.

"Sir, it's an honor" a relatively small Mantrin of the rare Talocaan race said, saluting him when he approached his seat.

Kero gave him a quick nod, checking ship's status on the console nearby. In the mean time his crew returned to work and the Soneg Commander left with a last salute. In the mean time Stith familiarized herself with the tactical console, her father looking over her shoulder. The controls for weapons, shields and other defensive systems, it all came back to her in no time.

"You think you're ready Stith?" Kero asked, suddenly standing on the other side of her console, his bright blue eyes having that loving twinkle.

"Sure I am. Just enjoying my little reunion with this thing here."

"I have a seat for you" Kero said to her father, gesturing towards the chair standing on the right side of his.

"Thank you Captain" Ganyu said, softly squeezing his daughter's shoulder.

Kero hadn't noticed the two girls entering the bridge at the same time but he was glad to see two familiar faces when he did.

"Kiké and Naea from the House of Sijal, reporting for duty Captain" the oldest of the two said, saluting him as she did.

Kero smiled, crossing his arms, shaking his head.

"Naea and Kiké, am I glad to see two familiar faces."

"Thank you sir" Naea replied with a nod.

"Hey" Stith said with a wink towards the youngest of the two, like she were talking to a friend.

Kiké replied in the same manor until she realized who she had in front of her.

"I'm sorry Princess, I didn't mean to be disrespectful."

She wanted to sink on one knee and bow for her but Stith prevented that quickly.

"It's okay Kiké. I maybe Kero's mate now but we're just fellow officers aboard this ship. We're friends right?"

The girl nodded, pulling her silky hair out of her face. She was not a bridge officer in contrast to her sister Naea and left shortly thereafter. Several more crewmembers arrived and took their stations after greeting their commanding officers. It was ten minutes before the launch when the turbolift doors opened and the last person missing arrived, together with another, quite small Mantrin of the Lesser Arcanna race on his side. Kero hadn't noticed them entering, having settled himself into the center chair, scanning through the first report handed to him by one of his officers. Ganyu was sitting on his left, getting familiar with the console attached to his chair.

"Well, I hope I can still do this" Kero mumbled, tapping on his upper right knee, after he approved the report.

"Now _that_, doesn't really sound like you sir."

His voice almost startled him, making him stand up a little quicker than normal. When he looked into the direction the voice came from he stared right into the smirking face of Rilas. The Sogowan laughed, scratching behind his ear. Kero shook his head, his chest going up and down from his own laughter.

"Rilas old boy, it's been too long. What have you done? Locked yourself up inside the ship?"

"Maybe, I overdid it a little but she's beautiful sir and she's all yours now. Got the latest tech aboard and received all kinds of upgrades but Majih here can tell you all about it."

It was then that he noticed the small Lesser Arcanna Mantrin with the dark brown skin, characteristic indigo-colored eyes and falcon-like beak. His race was very small but Majih was excellent in what he did and had proven it on many occasions.

"Majih, it's good to see you back aboard."

"Thank you sir" the tiny Mantrin replied, looking up to his Captain.

"It's good to be back and the Commander is right. We've got the latest technology aboard. Not only does she have upgraded drive systems, capable of pushing her past warp nine point six but we've also sent our regards to the humans for the new transporter systems."

Kero flattened an ear.

"Do we have transporters?"

Rilas nodded, the smile on his face getting wider.

"We won't be taking anymore shuttles down to the surface."

"You tried it?"

Not entirely to his surprise he shook no.

"All the test subjects arrived in satisfactory condition but I'm not too eager to have my molecules scrambled unless it's absolutely necessary."

It was safe, they'd used it before on Jason's ship but this technology was new in their hands and he could understand Rilas' concern. It was just a matter of getting used to it.

"Do we have a holodeck?" Stith asked hopefully, curving the edges of her beak into a smile.

"We also have a holographic simulation environment" Majih confirmed.

"I guess you could call it a holodeck."

"I can't wait" Stith replied, remembering the last time she tried that.

It had been one of the most extraordinary moments of her life, taking part in a legendary battle that took place before she was even born. And it all looked and felt so real, as if she were really there. She couldn't wait to try it out some more.

"I'll read it all in the report" Kero said expectantly.

"Aye Captain. I'll be in main engineering, making sure she's running smoothly once you give the order."

Majih turned around and left. Naea began warming up the ship's main drive systems for her first run when Rilas suddenly stood next to her.

"Hey" he said, lightly touching his beak to hers.

She returned his affection, slowly pulling her tongue over his cheek. Kero was still standing and ordered his communications officer to put him on ship-wide.

"Attention all decks, this is the Captain speaking. Some of you may have served under me before, others have not. I expect from all of you, what every Captain expects. I don't just expect you to trust me and follow my orders but I also trust upon you. You are my crew and both I and this whole starship mean nothing without you all. I'm sure you've all been informed of our first mission. This is important. We're going back to where we originally came from. And we're going to restore it to its former glory!"

The ship trembled when the whole crew cheered, war cries bellowed through the corridors and every Mantrin showed its loyalty to their Empire.

"Strength to the Empire!"

"Strength to the Empire!" his crew repeated.

"Brig for departure. We're heading out!"

When he was done with his speech, Rilas approached him with the commissioning plaque in his hands. He carefully handed it over to his Captain. The engraved letters and the seal of the Imperial Guard were clearly visible in the brushed metal.

"Find a good spot" he said, smiling.

And so he did, hanging it up on the wall where it was clearly visible. When he was satisfied and his bridge crew applauded he took his seat.

"This may sound a bit strange but, let's go home."

Naea turned around in her chair, waiting for the signal of her Captain which he gave her more or less by nodding.

"You know what to do Naea."

She smiled, a spark of enthusiasm in her eyes.

"Yes Captain. Releasing docking clamps. Main drive systems are coming up."

"Docking area is clear" the operations officer reported.

"Ahead one quarter Lieutenant" Kero ordered.

"One quarter, aye Captain."

There was a slight tremble when the docking clamps released the ship into free space. He could hear the engines powering up, a mighty sound but not too present in any way. The sound of strength and he could almost feel that strength when the ship began to move forward out of space dock.

"Incoming hail from the quartermaster."

"Put it up."

"Safe journey Captain" the crossbreed Mantrin said.

"May Kirliya enlighten your path."

"She is with us, I can feel it" Kero replied sincerely.

"_Son of the Empire _out."

The transmission ended and now there was nothing between the ship and its destination except for empty space. Mantra was not that far from Sogowa but when the Mantrins were forced to leave their homeworld because of the disaster that destroyed the ecosystem, their ships were not that fast and their technology not as advanced as it was today. It had taken their ancestors a lot of time to find a new world for their race to live. But now, with Sam Tucker's Titan technology, the power to create a world, they had what they needed to restore it back to its original peaceful state. The crew of the _Son of the Empire_ was blessed with the opportunity to watch the restoration of the original Mantrin homeworld and make sure nobody interfered with the delicate process. If something went wrong, they could permanently destroy any chance to restore it.

"Take us to warp" Kero ordered.

"Give her a nice push Naea" Rilas added.

"Let's see how fast she is."

Naea looked over her shoulder and smiled. After leaving enough space between Sogowa III and the ship and making sure that their route was clear she engaged the warp engines, the sound of warp coils charging audible for less than three seconds before the ship crossed the warp barrier and accelerated to maximum. It didn't take long to reach the maximum sustainable velocity of warp nine point six, eight, two and she began to tremble under the stress.

"That's enough" Kero ordered, after which Naea slowed down to a safer cruising speed.

At least she passed the speed test and Rilas seemed satisfied too with the results, checking them on his console.

"She sure is fast" he murmured.

"Sir, I have the report on ship's specs for you."

Kero looked over her shoulder, taking the holoscroll but the fact that the report came so fast wasn't the only thing surprising him, it was the Mantrin who handed it to him. He couldn't tell exactly what race he was because his skin was as white as milk. From the top of his head to the tip of his tail he was white with very little difference in tint. The inside of his ears appeared to be a bit darker but that could also be because of the angle of illumination. But it were the eyes that could catch everyone in a gaze. They were a bright shade of red, something that could work very well in his advantage if he got angry and they did the trick because Kero was so intrigued by his unusual appearance that he didn't realize that he was staring for a moment. He was an albino Mantrin and they were not a race of their own but it was a discoloration of their skin because of the same reasons albino's existed in other species. The red uniform really stood out against his white skin and didn't seem to blame Kero or anyone else on the bridge for staring. He had never seen him before and instantly knew that he was a new crewmember.

"Forgive me for staring Lieutenant. That was rude of me" he apologized.

The albino Mantrin smiled, revealing sharp teeth that were as white as his skin.

"My name is Thylun sir. I know the way I look occasionally flattens an ear."

"I hope people are not bothering you too much with it. It must be a little difficult for you."

"Not at all Captain. I've gotten used to it by now. Though in the past some people nicknamed me son of Kirliya."

"Because you're-"

"Because of my white skin yes."

"Thank you for the report Lieutenant" Kero said, scrolling through the list of specifications a little.

Thylun kept standing behind him, not going by himself. And that was good thing because Kero flattened an ear at some points, one in particular.

"Obsidian cannons, what are those exactly?"

"Yes sir" Thylan replied, clearing his throat.

"The engineers had to remove two of the forward missile racks to accommodate those. They are a new type of directed energy weapon with extreme output. Once fired, they drain all power leaving the ship vulnerable for a good thirty seconds. Destruction guaranteed."

"Destruction of the target or us?" Kero replied with a frown.

"They are meant to be used as a last resort only sir. Suggested to use them carefully."

"Thank you Lieutenant, you're dismissed."

Thylun nodded and left the bridge. With the ship in the good hands of Naea, they would reach the Mantra system in less than three hours at this speed. Cause there wasn't really much to do at the moment -the engineers were running all kinds of tests and his officers were familiarizing themselves with new and upgraded systems- he stood up and decided to take a look at the new ready room. There was not much need for a Captain anyway and Rilas was perfectly capable of handling things without his Captain constantly watching over his shoulder.

"I'll be in my ready room. Rilas, you have the bridge."

"Aye sir" Rilas acknowledged, switching seats.

When the doors of his ready room slit shut behind him, Kero found himself standing in a room that hadn't changed at all. There was still the large desk with the semi-transparent computer terminal on it and everything was slightly more modernized but for the rest it was an exact copy of the first _Son of the Empire_ with the large windows offering a spectacular view of outer space which was currently stretched out to lines of light. This was his personal workspace and it desperately needed some decoration. Sitting down in the comfortable chair, specially made for his species he noticed how quiet it was. Leaning back in the chair he closed his eyes, his large sensitive ears only picking up the sound of humming warp engines. _Peace and quiet really is great. _A gentle chime however warned him that there was work to do.

"Computer, estimated time of arrival?" he asked, his eyes still closed.

"Estimated time of arrival on designated coordinates is two hours, forty-seven minutes and thirty-four seconds."

"_Plenty" _he thought, but it wouldn't hurt to take a look at the reason for that little chime.

Accessing the computer, he found one new message in his personal inbox. He absent-mindedly flattened an ear, noticing the sender of the message. Apparently someone hadn't been answering their private transmissions and when he read the message he instantly knew there was a reason for it because the initial message was meant for somebody he knew very well.

"Do you know why you're here?" Kero asked.

Standing in front of his desk was his youngest crewmember, staring at the deck plating. Her ears sagged and she nervously tapped with her plumed tail on the metal. It was as if she were about to cry when she spoke.

"I-I guess" Kiké replied.

Kero breathed a sigh, leaning back in his chair, his arms crossed. He wasn't angry with her but he wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing here.

"I got a message from your mother. She almost gave me the feeling that she's mad at me for allowing you to board but I think you have some explaining to do Ensign. Shall I put it up?"

Kiké nodded, feeling humiliated, sad and angry at the same time. Those feelings became stronger when the voice of her mother bellowed through her Captain's ready room.

"Kiké! I don't know how you managed to sneak out of the house or how you get it in your head to disobey me but you get your sorry ass back home _now_! You haven't seen the last of this young lady! And if I find out that your sister has something to do with this as well then you're both gonna be in a world of trouble when you come home!"

She didn't even dare to look at the projection of her mother's face, though it wasn't a live transmission. She wished she could just become one with the deck plating now, especially when her Captain gave her a look she hadn't seen from him before. It was nothing but utter disappointment and it made her feel ashamed. Before she knew it she began to sob, trying to hide the tears with her hands.

"Kiké, I can see that you're sorry for something you've done wrong but you don't have to cry" Kero tried to comfort her a little.

He already had the feeling there was more behind it than he knew.

"I'm sorry Captain."

"You don't have to apologize to me Ensign but your mother is obviously worried about you."

She shook her head. That was not the main reason for her tears. For some reason this all brought back the memory of Jeth and what he did to her. He cheated on her, lying to her all that time, saying that she was the only one. It was still so fresh and the whole going back to duty thing had helped her to keep it at a distance. But now it all welled up, a bit overwhelming and she just couldn't help herself. Bringing his wristcom to his beak, Kero called for her sister and gestured her to sit down at one of the chairs in front of his desk. When Naea entered she began shaking her head, quickly approaching her sister, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It's all my fault" she said, touching her beak to her sister's wet face.

"I felt so bad for her" she explained to her superior.

"First mother didn't let her go, saying to her that it was dangerous and yesterday she found out that her boyfriend betrayed her."

"That's terrible" Kero said, feeling sorry for the young girl.

How could someone do that to a girl like Kiké? But then some guys were real jerks and didn't care about other people's feelings. But now they had to come with a solution.

"It seems to me that we do have a problem here" Kero said, trying to be as tactful as he could.

"I've send a message back to your mother, telling her that we're on a mission. I can't turn the ship around for a single crewmember if his or her life is not in immediate danger."

"With all due respect sir, I think both our lives _are_ in danger if we _do _return home."

Understanding the hint, Kero couldn't resist smiling. Maybe she was right. After all her mother had just proved that.

"All right. Just stay out of harm's way and I'll do what I can to convince your mother. Shall I ask for someone to take over your shift?"

He didn't want her to continue her work if she were emotionally compromised. However, as he had already expected from her she firmly shook her head. She always tried so hard and she wanted to keep doing her duties aboard the ship above all else.

"No, I'm fine" Kiké said determinately, wiping off the last of her tears.

"I can do this."

"Then you may resume your duties Ensign. Dismissed."

"Thank you Captain" she said, standing up to leave.

"Well, don't thank me yet. I still have to find a way to convince your mother. I want you to stay as much as you do."

She nodded, leaving with a whip of her tail.

"Thank you sir" Naea said.

"Life has been a bit hard on my sister lately."

"Don't worry. I'll keep her safe."

Naea gave him a quick nod and dismissed herself, leaving Kero behind in a confused state. He hadn't expected that from the two Sijal sisters. But their mother sure wasn't the type of woman you wanted to be messing with. Resuming his work, which included the first entries in his new ship's log, he tried to come up with enough arguments to persuade Kiké's mother to let her stay. She was a young but capable officer and she deserved better than this and there was certainly more to her than met the eye, he was convinced of that.


	31. Chapter 28 The Rebirth of Mantra

**The Rebirth of Mantra**

"Bridge to Captain Kero" Rilas' cheerful voice sounded over the com.

"Go ahead."

"Captain, we're coming up on the Mantra system. Preparing to drop out of warp."

"I'm on my way Rilas."

Standing up from the comfortable chair, Kero's face twisted into an expression of discomfort when he stretched his legs. That chair sure had the tendency to stick to his bottom at a given moment. But his enthusiasm was enough to drag him out of it. The ship dropped out of warp, a soft bump indicating the transition into normal space and when he looked out of the window, the old yellow dwarf star of the Mantra system casted its shine into his ready room. This was home. Though it was a very long time ago since his people left their home and searched for a habitable planet elsewhere in the galaxy, all Mantrins shared the same connection with this place. He had been here once, on his father's warship, when he was just a little boy. He didn't fully understand everything back then when his father told him about the history of their species. Great warriors indeed, but with a difficult past. One that involved finding a new home for their entire race to live on. But now, thanks to the technological miracle of a human whose son was more or less his friend, they had the chance to bring the once beautiful and flourishing world back to life.

"_No time to lose_"he thought, leaving the room.

Entering the bridge, the crew was on full alert and ready for his command. Rilas had already put the ship on course for the third planet in the system, the only once habitable world orbiting the sun.

"I kept your seat warm for you" Rilas said, switching to his own chair.

Kero sat down, smiling when he noticed the rather bored expression on Stith's face. She didn't really have much to do in the past three hours except chatting with her dad. But for their sake he hoped it would stay that way. Unlike most Mantrins, he didn't hear the constant call of battle, though he would never get out of the way of a good fight.

A couple of moments later they arrived at their destination. Mantra, the world on which the Mantrin race was given shape was lying in front of them, big on the main viewer but only a shadow of what it once was. It used to be like Sogowa was now, outstretched forests, endless plains. Peaceful and quiet, a world unlike any other. It was hardly recognizable, a dark spherical nightmare. A partially molten surface, rivers of lava. The planet was nothing but a dark sphere giving off an eerie orange glow, like staring into the abyss. If there was a hell, the planet would be on the list of possible candidates. But not for long.

"Captain, I'm detecting multiple contacts" the operations officer, named Jaiyun reported.

He was a new crewmember, Goureg by race, with a steel gray skin and bright blue-greenish eyes.

"It's the terraformers sir. And it looks like there are a couple of science ships in the area."

"They are here to monitor and steer the process" Rilas said.

He was well informed about the operation and explained it to the rest of the crew.

"There are six terraformers in synchronous orbit. Jaiyun magnify please."

The Goureg nodded, zooming in on the closest terraformer. It was a strange looking device, which had more in the way of an orbital weapon system than a terraforming device. It was elongated, with a long muzzle pointing down at the molten surface. The device was in an inactive state and linked to one of the science ships holding position near the planet, Rilas told.

"Mantra's core is completely destabilized. The beams emitted by those devices will work similar to the Titan ship of the humans but a with a few differences. They will penetrate the planet's crust, if you could still call it a 'crust' and work their way towards the core. The energy of the beam will reconfigure the matter and revert the core back to a stable state. When the core is stabilized phase two will initialize and the same thing will happen to the surface and the atmosphere."

"How long will it remain that way?" Stith asked, frowning.

"Indefinitely" Rilas replied, smiling.

"Once fully stabilized the planet cannot fall back to this state on its own. Unless something goes horribly wrong during the process of course but all kinds of safeguard systems have been installed to prevent that from happening."

"I think I'll speak for everyone if I say: What are we waiting for?" Kero said cheerfully.

"Let's do it then" Rilas replied, smirking.

Approaching the planet, until they'd reached a distance from which they had a good view while still being inside the safe zone Kero ordered to hail the lead science ship. It's Captain, a Sogowan Mantrinesse greeted him with a cranky expression on her face.

"Prince Kero" she said with a snort.

"Glad you could join us. Please keep your ship at a safe distance while we initiate the procedure."

"Yes Captain. We'll be on our guard for any visitors."

"Make sure no one dares to interfere. Your father won't be pleased if some moron shows up whose foolishness alone causes a catastrophic chain reaction."

"We'll make sure of that Captain. _Son of the Empire _out."

The seal of the Imperial Guard flashed on the screen for a mere two seconds before it was replaced by the view of the planet again. For a moment he just stared at it, unable to believe that it was that easy. Rilas made it sound so simple but he was pretty sure there was a lot of advanced technology aboard those terraformers. Each one of them was essentially a small version of the Titan ship. Each one of them holding a fraction of the power to create a planet. He was disturbed by Rilas who suddenly stood next to him on his right. Ganyu joined him at his other side but it wasn't the planet they were interested in.

"Sir, I still have a surprise to show you" Rilas said, a mysterious laugh playing on his lips.

He led the way, turning towards Stith when he walked past her console.

"Will you join us Princess?" he said, emphasizing the word.

"You're making me awfully curious" Stith replied, leaving her console for what it was.

She didn't get to play with it anyway.

"Naea, you have the bridge" Kero said when he stepped into the turbolift.

When the doors were closed Rilas merely smiled.

"Computer, one deck up."

The computer confirmed his command and for a short moment the lift moved and brought them only a single deck up, which did surprise Kero because their wasn't 'a deck up' on the first _Son of the Empire_. When the doors slit aside to let them out they found themselves standing in a fairly large dome, covered entirely by blast shutters as this would be the most vulnerable part of the entire ship in battle. That was why the floor was so thick, because they were actually walking over the hull armor right now.

"Rilas you can't be serious" Kero said, amused by this sudden surprise.

"I bet I can" Rilas replied.

"Computer, open up the windows. Welcome to the observation deck."

It was then that the walls began to disappear in a similar way as the those of the passenger lounge on his father's ship. When they were fully opened up, all four of them had the feeling that they were standing on the ship's hull, with nothing there surrounding them except the darkness of space. Behind them, was the _Son of the Empire_'s tail and in front of them was Mantra in all it's soon to be glory. It was a large world and it looked even larger because they were quite close but what they saw was the surface of hell.

"Oceans of fire, rivers of lava and an atmosphere that will fry your lungs after one breath" Rilas said, shaking his head.

"I heard that they still don't know exactly what happened. How it could have come to this" Ganyu said, trying to uncover some place on the surface that didn't look completely covered in ashes and lava.

"At some point the core just… stopped doing what it was supposed to do" Rilas replied, shrugging.

"Before I forget again, congratulations to all three of you" he said with a look on Stith's belly.

"I'm sure you're gonna have great kids."

"Thank you Rilas" Stith said, gently caressing her swollen belly.

It sure wasn't easy but fortunately it would soon all be over. Then she didn't have to worry about waking up nauseous again. If you had to believe some parents, then the real nightmare started. You had to raise them. But that was the part Kero seemed to be looking forward to.

"_We'll see about that" _she had said.

According to her he was looking way too much at the bright side of everything. But maybe she should just follow his example. It wouldn't hurt her and it wouldn't hurt anyone else.

"This is not everything however" Rilas continued.

"Computer, activate augmented reality system."

"Augmented reality system engaged."

They'd almost forgotten that there was still a layer of transparent material between them and the planet below, until the system went active and a holographic layer was placed over the view of the planet. All kinds of data were displayed on the barrier, surface temperatures, atmospheric composition, movement of tectonic plates under Mantra's surface and much more. "What is this?" Kero asked, his beak falling open. Stretching out his hand to one of the floating holographic panels, the construction of light seemed to react on his touch. Ganyu and Stith were just as bewildered by it. The system displayed everything in real time and Rilas confirmed what they were thinking.

"In essence, we see what the ship sees now" he said proudly.

"All the data gathered by the sensors is processed and transformed into visible output by this system."

He stepped closer to the barrier of transparent material, pointing at one of the temperature zones closer to the planet's upper pole.

"These used to be the arctic regions. That's where the Logri originally come from."

Sensors detected it was much cooler near the polar regions and those were the only places where one could stand without being burned alive, if not for the poisonous atmosphere which would get enough toxic sulfur compounds in a person's bloodstream to kill after one breath.

"We do have cooler zones on Sogowa but those on Mantra used to be much colder" Rilas explained.

"See those areas there?" he said, pointing at the upper part of the northern hemisphere.

"Those areas seem relatively intact. Sensors show little to no change in activity for hundreds of years. Maybe there are some remains of our old civilization down there. Ruins, underground chambers, who knows?"

"How do you know all this?" Stith asked, flattening an ear.

She was really surprised that Rilas knew so much of the details of their original world. It was Kero who answered however.

"I've got an idea Stith. I'm going to take you to The Archive one day."

"What is that?"

"You were never told about The Archive?" her father asked surprisedly.

"Just tell me what it is already" Stith grumbled, growing impatient.

"Stith, the entire history of our people and all the knowledge gathered over that time is stored there. That big building near the middle of the city? It extends underground and that's were keep everything. From a simple recipe to the name of your great great great grandfather."

Rilas let out a laugh.

"There are lots of things people don't know about us but if it's about keeping records of our past, we're the best."

"It's a wonderful experience really" Kero said, trying to remember his first time.

Rows upon rows of computer banks filled with the history of an entire race, all kept in perfect order and up to date by the librarians who helped the visitors of The Archive to find what they were looking for. The advanced computer system that helped maintain The Archive had many terminals which could be used to access the stored data and make a personal copy if necessary. Almost anything could be found here.

"I remember the day my parents took me and my brother with them to The Archive for the first time. We were so excited but the place is so large that we got lost eventually. It took us more than an hour to find mom and dad back."

He flattened an ear.

"It was actually more of the other way around since we thought of it as a big playground back then."

"I'm looking forward to it" Stith replied.

She didn't know all this and now she began to realize how little she actually knew about her own people. Growing up in the colonies really was a lot different. She never cared that much about the history of her race or where they came from but now they had made her curious. The com chimed and when Kero gave the order to patch the incoming transmission through, a floating holographic screen displaying the bridge appeared in front of the small group.

"Sir, the Captain of the lead science ship is signaling us that they are ready to begin the terraforming process. She is again advising us to keep our distance."

"Back us off another hundred-thousand kilometers, just to be safe and be on guard Lieutenant. We don't want anyone messing around."

"Aye Captain" Naea replied.

"Bridge out."

The display of light dissolved into thin air and all four attendants watched as the planet seemed to shrink slightly when the ship put its engines in reverse, moving backwards away from the planet. The holographic view placed over the surface perfectly adapted in the process, still monitoring any changes on the object it was following. A soft alert sounded, reporting a chance in status on the orbiting terraforming devices. The process of restoration was starting.

"Computer, give me a detailed view on all terraformers" Rilas ordered.

The computer beeped in affirmation and six virtual screens appeared in front of them, each displaying one of the orbiting terraformers as they became active. Kero, Rilas, Stith and Ganyu all held their breath for a moment and watched in awe as tiny little lights on each device flickered to life. The long muzzles extended a little further down to the surface and extra stabilizer arms with thrusters deployed to keep their orbit as stable as possible. Each terraformer was perfectly matched with the others and the planet's rotation to ensure absolute stability during the process. Of course there was an abort function in case something did go wrong but prevention was better than cure. Apparently, the bridge was standing in direct contact with the ship leading and steering the whole operation as the computer was able to report on all activity.

"Stabilizers deployed. Engaging matter resequencers."

Scanners picked up a huge power buildup on all devices as their reactors powered up. The energy demands for an operation like this were massive and they all began to wonder when the effects would be visible.

"I can hardly believe that this is actually happening" Ganyu managed to bring out.

"Our home" Stith said, unable to believe it herself.

The energy was still building, the back of the terraformers glowing with an icy white blue light, that became brighter and brighter.

"Reactors at ninety percent…" the female computer voice stated.

"Ninety five… Reactors at full power. No abnormalities detected. System check complete. All systems secure."

It was then that a quick transmission from the bridge was rerouted to the observation lounge. A screen appeared and flickered, displaying the cranky face of the female Sogowan Captain.

"Stay back" she grumbled, after which the screen disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

"Wow, she's in a good mood today" Rilas joked, crossing his arms.

"System engaged."

Shortly after the computer gave the signal, six powerful white bluish beams exited the muzzles of the devices. The beams were thin at first and the speed at which they traveled to the surface made them impossible to follow. It was as if they made a direct contact with the burning rocks that made up the terrain, penetrating the poisonous atmosphere of Mantra with such speed that it almost looked like they were suddenly there, appearing out of thin air. Slowly the beams became wider until they reached a stable width.

"It's starting" Kero said, absent-mindedly stepping closer to the window as if that would help him to see what happened on the surface.

They were all watching the holographic data placed over the view of the planet, hoping that the ship's sensors would pick up any significant changes but until now nothing had happened. That was not a bad thing however. This was never done before and according to Rilas the scientists only had predictions about how long it would approximately take.

"It could take some time before we see something" he muttered under his breath.

"Could be anything between a few hours and a few minutes."

Stith barely heard what Rilas said. She was watching the screens, hoping for the readings to change positively, until she felt the hand of her father on her shoulder. He came standing behind her, resting her with her back on his chest, nuzzling between her ears. It was still a bit hard to believe. Some time ago, she was unsure about her life. When she left New Earth into the hands of Akima and Cale she had wondered what to do. Settle somewhere on a remote world where no one had ever heard of her or wander between the stars, find some new crewmembers for the _Valkyrie_ and continue to live the life she used to live before. She had even considered going back to Solbrecht but she didn't want to risk running into people who knew her and that chance was pretty big. Who would have thought that some time later she would be a Princess and an officer aboard the pride of the Imperial fleet, overlooking the rebirth of Mantra with her father? The same father she thought she never had. When she realized all of this herself, she almost shook her head in response.

_The universe sure has a weird sense of humor. _She didn't believe in faith though. According to her, people decided their own faith, maybe with a little help sometimes but there was no such thing as faith and nothing was impossible. But if at that time some guy would have told her that this was her future she would have smacked him right in the middle of his face and laughed, telling him to stop talking crap. But standing here like this, watching the rebirth of the original homeworld of her people, with her father's hands on her shoulders, made her wish there was someone she could thank personally. Thank him or her for this unexpected twist that completely changed her life. And because she couldn't think of anyone else, she thanked the First Warrior. Though she didn't believe in faith, she did believe, like all Mantrins that the First Warrior watched over her people at all times, constantly putting them to the test and rewarding them accordingly.

Looking over her shoulder at her dad, he smiled when he met her gaze.

"I love you dad" she said, rubbing her head against his chest.

"I love you too my daughter."

Wrapping his arms around her body, he continued to watch the terraformers do their work. When Kero saw his beloved one in the arms of her father, the pure happiness in her eyes, he felt the warm feeling of joy in his hearts. She was happy and everything that made her happy made him happy too. He wanted her to be happy and the constant reminder of her difficult past had made that harder than usual. But when her father came back into her life, after all those years and though she never really knew him, _he_ had finally healed some of the wounds permanently. He had some trouble hiding the smile on his face when his eyes found hers but she smiled back at him with a lovely look in her eyes. She was happy and so was he.

Their ears shot straight up when an alarm sounded.

"Alert, tectonic activity is increasing."

The virtual viewers immediately pointed out the areas in which the shockwaves caused by tectonic plates increased in intensity and caused earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Those were immediately picked up by the ship's advanced sensor array and displayed on the screens, marked by red circles.

"What's happening?" Stith asked, a little afraid that their actions could destabilize the planet completely.

If that happened, the intense earthquakes could rip the remains of the planet's crust apart and destroy the lost world completely. Everyone was looking at Rilas who responded calmly to the situation.

"Don't worry. It's part of the process. Remember we're actually drilling into the planet's crust to reach the core. Increase in activity was expected."

The earthquakes continued but didn't increase in intensity. The terraformers were running at full power, their beams converging in the center of the planet. It was impossible to see their progress there as the planet's magnetic fields, which were the strongest at the core because of the molten metal, disrupted sensors and made it unable to take a look inside the core. But at a given moment, the tectonic activity decreased and the earthquakes stopped. It seemed like it was working! A few moments later, tectonic activity was practically non-existent and finally they were getting some results.

"Temperature change detected" the computer said, immediately pointing out the areas where the beams entered the crust.

It used to be over two-hundred degrees down there but temperatures near the entry points were decreasing rapidly, the effects spreading out at several hundred meters per second and accelerating. The views on the monitors adapted quickly. They watched as temperatures on the entire planet began to drop and stabilize at a habitable level. The orange streams of molten rock began to dry up as the temperatures normalized, removing the eerie orange glow from the surface that was now dark and dead. But as the entire planet cooled down the third phase of the operation began. Stith could very well remember the creation of New Earth and this was almost the same. First a new world, then the cool down and eventually water began to form. It was raining like crazy down there, the water forming lakes and eventually the oceans that once contained so much life. When their ancestors left their homeworld, they build arks, just like the humans did with the Titan, to try and safe as much from the plant and animal species as possible and start a new life elsewhere. And that planet was Sogowa, terraformed to the beautiful world it was now, a planet much like Mantra but not entirely. Not a planet in the galaxy could replace the one you came from.

"It's beautiful" Ganyu said, his arms still around his daughter's shoulders.

"I never thought I would ever see this happening" Kero added, watching the homeworld of his species become capable of sustaining life once again.

Eventually the terraformers decreased their beam output, the rays of light becoming thinner until they disappeared completely. After that the devices powered down, folding in any extensions and retracting the large cannon. Returning to their compact state they remained in a stable orbit. Beneath them was Mantra, a world like a new one, with oceans and large landmasses which would soon find themselves populated by the same animals and the same civilization that left the world eons ago.

"We did it" Rilas said softly.

"By Kirliya, we actually did it."

The Captain of the science ship showed her face on the appearing holographic display, this time smiling.

"Well done Captain" Kero congratulated her.

The Sogowan Mantrinesse let out a laugh that sounded like a bark.

"The First Warrior was at our side today Prince Kero. I can feel her presence and she finally decided that we've earned to right to set foot on the world we lost such a long time ago."

"I think a little celebration is in order" Kero decided.

And to his surprise she agreed, with a suggestion that came up in his mind at the same time.

"What's a better place to celebrate than on the surface?"

"My idea Captain. I'll meet you at these coordinates in a few minutes."

He entered the coordinates in a virtual input which were transferred directly to her ship. She nodded in agreement and ended the transmission, the screen disappearing.

"Computer, deactivate augmented reality system" Rilas ordered.

A chime was heard in response and the holographic views disappeared as the system powered down. The view of the planet was removed from sight as the blast shutters shoved in front of the windows, protecting this vulnerable part of the ship from harm.

"Let's get down. And you just told me yourself Rilas, we won't be taking any shuttles down to the surface."

Kero gave his First Officer a made smile, which turned into a real one when he saw the expression on Rilas' face. He thought he saw a hint of fear but he quickly covered it up, putting up a brave front. He was a Mantrin and Mantrins were not a afraid of anything.

"I just don't like the idea" he grumbled, using the same excuse Stith once used after she traveled by transporter for the first time.

Kero was pleasantly surprised when he, his First Officer, Stith and Ganyu entered the space commonly known as transporter room one. The new technology was neatly integrated into the ship, following the same standard design but with a few extra modifications to better accommodate their species. The pads were larger to allow even the largest of Mantrin races to be transported and the system was equipped with an extra large pattern buffer for the same reason. According to Rilas it was successfully tested multiple times and a few members of the crew had tried it already but his face still betrayed his anxiety to step on that thing and allow his molecular structure to be disassembled. An officer was standing by to operate the device. They had the time and though it was a bit early for shore leave, the whole crew was allowed to go down to the surface in groups, to bear witness of this very special moment.

"After you Rilas" Kero said, gesturing at the transporter pad.

"Well, thank you sir" Rilas replied a bit cranky, carefully putting a clawed foot on the flat surface.

Adding the other, he took position on the first left one, trying to hide his anxiety by crossing his arms and lashing his tail.

"I said it myself. What could happen?" he said, pretending he was calm.

"This should be interesting" Ganyu said, stepping on the pad himself, without fear.

He reached out a hand to his daughter and helped her up, because it was a little difficult for her with her highly pregnant belly. And that was the reason she hesitated.

"Are my children safe?" she asked the Orketh standing behind the controls.

He nodded in affirmation.

"There's absolutely nothing to worry about Princess. Your children are safe, I can assure you that."

Deciding to go through with it, she stood next to her father, with Kero joining them on the foremost pad.

"Ready?" he asked, looking over his shoulder with a smile, which more was more aimed at his First Officer.

They all nodded so he gave the transporter chief the signal.

"Energize Ensign."

"Energizing" the Orketh confirmed, tapping the appropriate controls to activate the system.

There was a faint sound of a power up before the four Mantrins dissolved into a whirling display of tiny orange particles of light. Though it was impossible to actually _feel _anything it was still a strange sensation. Kero could swore that he was actually at two places at the same time, for only a tiny fraction of a second. The others had the same feeling, which would have given Rilas the shivers if he still had a spinal column during that moment.

And it was even weirder to suddenly feel solid ground under your feet, to breathe air again after that tiny moment. To Stith it was familiar too, having traveled by transporter no less than three times, one while being unconscious. And it was still the same sensation of being at two places at the same time and 'not existing at all' in the time of a heartbeat. She didn't know if it was because of her pregnancy or because she didn't like the device but she felt a short wave of nausea when the first breath she took after materialization was the clean air of Mantra. She had closed her eyes during the trip and when she opened them, shaking the slight dizziness out of her head she saw a newborn world in front of her. It was similar to New Earth after its birth. A bit on the muggy side, the air darkened by rainclouds, a lashing rain pouring down from the sky. They were standing on a large rock plateau overlooking one of the larger seas. In the distance the sun was trying to cast its shine through the thick layer of clouds on the water creating a bright glittering on the surface which was hard to look at without squinting. Suddenly she felt the arms of someone on her shoulders and this time it was Kero, laying his head in her neck, feeling his warm breath tickling against her skin.

"It really is beautiful isn't it?" he said softly, licking the water off her skin.

Within seconds after arrival they were completely soaked but no one seemed to care. When he removed his head from her shoulder, she looked up at him. Water trickled in little streams from the tips of his ears and his beak but he was smiling. She smiled back and laughed, throwing herself against his wet chest. This was the world their race fled so long ago and now it was theirs to inhabit again. The world on which their race was born. The old Mantra was all gone but with all the plant and animals species they saved and brought to Sogowa they could turn it into another paradise. There were no life forms on the planet yet. Now it was just rocks and water but it still had its beauty. In the mean time several other groups of crewmembers were beaming down to enjoy the new Mantra. When their ears picked up the sound of an approaching shuttle, they all turned their heads. Not one but a couple of shuttles from the science ships stationed in the area set down on the ground next to them, their crews setting out to enjoy and examine the results of their work. The cranky Captain of the lead science ship, scanned the area, approaching her target when her eyes got him in sight.

"Prince Kero, Princess Stith" she said, greeting them with a slight bow.

"Captain Opheya" Kero replied, saluting her.

"I believe congratulations are in order."

The Sogowan Mantrinesse gave him a quick nod and grunted, then continued.

"So far everything's looking good. We will begin the next phase soon. You father will be pleased."

"Oh, I think he will" Kero ensured her, looking out over the small sea.

The next phase was again the same as what happened on New Earth. The new world had to be populated. First plants, creating ecosystems for animals to live. It was tricky as it would normally take millions of years for a planet to develop to that stage but with the advanced technology of today it was possible. Building a new world from scratch with the materials of the old one. The vision of one man made it all possible, though he could never see his vision become a reality.

"I've received word that two of our warships have entered the system. You are free to return to your other duties Captain" Opheya said, making preparations to continue her work on the planet.

"Good luck."

She left, coordinating her science teams to perform analyses on local planetary conditions. Kero was just about to explain to his crew that he didn't receive further orders from Command when his wristcom chimed.

"Go ahead?" he asked.

The voice of Naea, who was obviously still in command of the bridge reached his ears. She sounded worried and talked faster than normal.

"Captain we're receiving a transmission from command. It's urgent. They're requesting your immediate attention. They want the _Son of the Empire_ back in the Sogowa system now."

What was this? Something was wrong. He could feel it.

"Get everyone back on board. We're leaving immediately. Kero out."

"Aye sir!"

"What's the matter sir?" Rilas asked, having overheard the conversation.

"I'm not sure but I don't like the sound of this. Stay with me, we're going back up."

Stith opened her mouth to protest but she had seen the look on her mate's face. This was serious and though she didn't want to leave yet, orders were orders.

Materializing back on the ship, flooding the transporter pad with water in the process, Kero made his way back to the bridge, taking Rilas with him. The group left a whole trail of water behind on their way to the command deck and when they arrived there Kero took Rilas with him to his ready room, ordering Naea to take the ship to warp, back to Sogowa. His ears were still dripping when he entered and activated the holographic system to answer the urgent call. The projected face was of an old acquaintance. Admiral Xilrai, an Orketh Mantrin and he didn't look too happy. As ordered the ship jumped to warp, leaving the protection of Mantra in the hands of the two warships guarding the system.

"Forgive me Admiral. We were on the planet surface when you called."

"Don't mention it Prince Kero. Just head back here as soon as you can. We may have a problem on our hands."

"What happened?"

Xilrai lowered his voice, bowing closer to the screen on his side.

"There's been an attack on Sogowa" he hissed.

"What?" Kero blurted out.

"How could this have happened? How many lives were lost?"

"So far none but that could change within a matter of hours."

Xilrai grunted, crossing his arms, hitting the floor with his tail.

"Whoever they are, they're clever. They stayed out of range of any defenses and launched a single large landing craft towards our planet. It made planet fall on a remote location, lucky for us away from any major population centers. But…" he said before Kero could reply, "…the signatures of that pod and the ship that launched it before it disappeared again are consistent with a race of beings identified by the Republic as the Seraphim."

Kero felt his hearts skipping a few beats. The Seraphim. The same beings that destroyed the Myrana, had struck again, this time at the heart of the Empire. They were from a whole different dimension, possessed technology far superior to anything they had and their warriors were emotionless killers that destroyed anything in their path when ordered to.

"Has the target been destroyed?"

Xilrai shook his head.

"Negative. The whole area has been a black spot on all sensors shortly after that thing crashed. We haven't got the slightest idea what's going on there and the craft we sent to gather any visual intel hasn't returned yet."

He growled and bit his teeth.

"I'm fearing the worst here. But how? What can one dropship do?"

It was a good question but in case of the Seraphim, Kero could make an educated guess of what was unfolding on his homeworld.

"We gotta report this to the rest of the Republic" Rilas suggested.

"A good idea Rilas" Kero agreed.

"Admiral, the humans recently received aid from a group of their own kind who have dealt with this race before. We should fill in the Republic of the situation. We don't know what we're dealing with here, but they seem to."

Xilrai produced an annoyed grunt, not happy with the prospect but knowing they had a better change if they did.

"It's beginning to look that way, isn't it? Your father is already speaking to our ambassador on New Earth. If they're willing to help us, they will send aid but until then we're on our own."

"And we _will_ remove this _filth_ from the surface of our world!" he added, thumping his tail on the ground.

"In the mean time I've ordered several ships to guard the system in case they return with the rest of their invasion force. I've got the feeling we haven't seen the last of them. You are ordered to return here as well. We'll see if those humans keep their word. Xilrai out!"

The holographic projection went over to 'end transmission' before it disappeared. Kero turned his attention to Rilas who was thinking exactly the same. Many people were in danger now. The Seraphim waged war at an unimaginable scale. He had been following the news and briefly read reports about them. It didn't look good. If one of those 'things' landed on Sogowa they were now using the planet's own resources to build an army. An unstoppable horde of machines designed to kill and destroy anything that stood in their way. It was time to show their unmatched skill as warriors and fight.

"Landing successful. Beginning deployment."

It was the middle of the night on the world he was supposed to conquer. So he could tell because optical sensors revealed little without night vision filters active. As been told, the landing was indeed a bit rough but nothing he couldn't handle. The ACU automatically began identifying suitable spots for extraction facilities but the terrain would prove quite a challenge for base building. Lots of cliffs, hills and anything else except flat terrain. It would take some time to build up a sizable force, especially since they didn't have any information on this world and he happened to land in an area that seemed to be low on resources as the scanners told him. A mild curse left his mouth when he activated manual control and began scouting the area. But Quan-Thanamow was an elite warrior. _A true Commander never walks away from a challenge._ Marking spots for future defensive installations on top of rock formations, he figured that the difficult terrain did offer a lot of tactical advantages for those who knew how to exploit them. And lucky for him, he knew exactly how to do that. The ACU's build-in jammer was working perfectly, masking his signature from any scans and disrupting any targeting scanners that tried to get a fix on his position. He knew nothing about the inhabitants of this planet, only that they were soon to be annihilated.

"_No one can stand against us"_ he thought, selecting the schematic of the Tech 1 _Uya-iya _power generator.

A malicious laugh crept along his face, as he began constructing the generator on a suitable spot. First he had to find a way to establish contact with Asath-Yvanu. A special schematic of a quantum transmitter would be available as soon as he had the tech and the power to operate it. That was priority number one. Number two was getting a quantum gate up and running so he could call for support. Then the battle -if you could call it that- could really begin. This world would be the first one of many in the new Seraphim Order.


	32. Chapter 29 New Recruits

**New Recruits**

A lot was going through her mind when Akima stood in front of General Lance, his Commanders and Admiral Langley. She was wearing a special pilot suit all Commanders wore during battles and which provided better integration with the ACU's systems and allowed it to keep track of her vital signs. She was one of the seventeen people who made it through the evaluation successfully. People who were capable and had enough courage and strength to go through this. Training sessions were long and intense and because they had so little time it would be even harder. She shared the room aboard the _Strength of the Coalition_ with fifteen other men and only one other woman. Most of them were human, including the woman, Lynn Patterson was her name. She had blonde hair in a pony tail, lavender blue eyes, a somewhat pale skin with freckles on her cheeks and she was fairly well-build. Akima estimated her age around thirty years old and she seemed pretty confident, the way she stood between the men with her arms crossed, a hard expression on her face. She briefly spoke to her during before and after the evaluation and she had the feeling they could be friends, especially since they were the only two women. However she was looking at her soon-to-be superiors with a whole different set of eyes then Lynn. Before the evaluation Korso had told her about his meeting with Illuminate Commander Natal. Informing Lynn about it had been her first thought but she decided against it at the last moment. Now was not the time to create a sense of distrust between the Republic and its new allies. They were the only ones who knew how to fight the Seraphim and they needed their help. But in turn the Coalition needed their help too. Of course, as she predicted Cale had tried to talk her out of it. But unfortunately for him she had a strong will.

"If I don't fight who else will?" she had said.

"There're plenty of other people to choose from. Why does it have to be you?" Cale had objected.

She had to admit, he did have a point. There had been more than a hundred signups but judging by the amount of people who made it through the evaluation it was good that she signed up. The training would determine who would actually see a real ACU from the inside. She had told Cale that too but he had enough confidence in her to say that she would be among those fortunate few. What she hadn't told him and neither did Korso was what he told her about Kendra and the distrust of her people toward the two factions. And then her prediction. "This alliance will fall within the next thirty years." According to Korso she had sounded awfully sure about that. It had made her doubt for a few seconds if this was the right thing to do. But of course she could always bail out if the three former enemies decided to pick up arms and fight once again. It was not their fight and she knew the Republic wouldn't take sides in such matters. For now the only thing that mattered was finding a way to defeat the Seraphim once and for all.

Her thoughts were suddenly disturbed by the voice of Lance when he looked his new potential Commanders in the eyes, one by one. Some of these eyes were alien and Akima knew how Lance thought about aliens.

"_Too bad he has no other choice right now"_ she thought.

Among the group were two Akrennians, a Fauldran, an Indarian and even a Mantrin. They were all warriors of their respective races and had all seen their fair share of battles.

"I don't know whether to congratulate or feel sorry for you but for now I'll just stick with the latter" Lance said. "I hope you all had the chance to sleep well or at least catch a nap before you came aboard and I hope you're ready."

Standing next to him were some of his Commanders, representing their respective faction. Commander Natal of the Illuminate. Commander Shattan of the Cybran Nation and a UEF Commander named Daniel Jackson. They would be their supervisors during the entire training course and keep a close eye on their progress on the virtual battlefield. They would get to practice with every faction's weapons so that they could determine their personal favorite for themselves. Each one had other tactics and strategies they could use to get the upper hand on the constantly changing battlefield. Not sure if she should be worried or glad, Akima was assigned to Commander Natal, together with Lynn, the Indarian, one of the Akrennians and two other humans. Kendra's eyes met hers for a moment and something just knew Kendra had picked her on purpose, because she knew she served under Korso. After the group was split into three smaller ones, each one with a different supervisor, they were ordered to follow them. The new recruits were about to leave the room until Admiral Langley received an incoming communiqué on his wristcom. Everyone halted as the Admiral had specifically ordered not to be disturbed unless it was a matter of utmost importance.

"It better be important Commander."

"Sorry to disturb you Admiral but the RSS _Perseverance _has returned and her Captain says she has someone aboard who demands to speak to you immediately."

Langley sighed.

"All right, put it through."

It took a moment until a female voice shouted though the wristcom.

"Is this Admiral Langley?" the voice said, obviously in a hurry.

"Yes, that's who you're talking to. Who is this?"

Akima had already recognized the voice. They had met before and she had to admit she was impressed to find so much courage and honesty in an Akrennian.

"Ayko?" she brought out without thinking.

"You know her, Lieutenant?" Langley asked.

"Sort of. Sorry for interrupting Admiral."

Langley nodded but Ayko was growing impatient on the other side.

"Permission to beam aboard sir."

"Now wait a minute" Lance interfered. "This is a Coalition starship. You can't just-"

But his objections were unheard. Without waiting for confirmation from the other side, the _Perseverance _initiated transport and a short moment later a tall brown-skinned Akrennian woman materialized in front of Langley. She looked around for a second before turning her attention to the person she had just been talking to.

"Now who do you think you are? Beaming over to this ship without permission" Lance snapped.

His voice trailed off when Ayko flashed her orange eyes in his direction and snorted, baring her razor-sharp fangs toward him.

"Oh shut up! What are you gonna do? Shoot me?"

Recovering from his temporary shock, Lance stared right back at her, a tiny muscle pulling next to his left eye.

"I could do that" he said between clenched teeth, speaking very slowly.

"Listen to me…" Ayko hissed. "Me and my crew barely escaped death because we were attacked by those beings you all seem so eager to fight. That's why I hightailed it back here as fast as I could, to tell you that they're on the move." She crossed her arms. "But if you're not interested in what I have to say then so be it."

Now she did. People started murmuring now that they knew that the Seraphim were on the move. They were now that much closer to an all out war. If the Seraphim started attacking randomly, they were strong enough for the battle ahead.

"It seems that we have less time than we thought" Kendra said, remaining calm just like her fellow Commanders.

Lance was still furious that Ayko dared to beam aboard his ship but managed to control himself.

"Thank you for sharing this with us" he hissed. "Now if you would be so kind to remove yourself from this ship."

"Fine" Ayko said way too kind, giving him a made smile. "You were beginning to bother me anyway."

She simply turned his back on him, raising his anger to the boiling point.

"_There's no way you're going to win an argument from her Lance"_ Akima thought, a faint smile playing on her lips when the General's head turned red with restrained anger.

"Thank you Captain" William said sincerely. "Please spread the word. We're currently doing everything we can."

"Yes Admiral" Ayko said politely.

She did have respect for the people she liked including Langley. In fact, her eyes twinkled for a fraction of a second when she met Akima's gaze before she disappeared in a whirlwind of tiny sparkles.

"All right, let's go people!" Commander Jackson fired up his new recruits. "You heard it, no time to sit on our butts!"

Proceeding as planned, the group followed their commanding officers through the ship. Walking next to Lynn, behind the Indarian and Akrennian she wondered if they should talk. But Lynn was sharing the same thought and was one step ahead of her.

"They're on the move now. D'you still think we can make it in time?"

If she were honest with her she was not sure. This made her think back at her time at Fauldro Flight Academy. She had been the top student in her class and she was in her element behind the controls of any ship but this was different. Yet she was confident she could make it to the promotion of provisional Commander.

"_It's just a ship with legs" _she thought. But in the mean time it was something different too. Moving her ACU around was one thing, building and successfully leading an army was another, even though she wasn't in control of living beings. At least she wouldn't be sending living souls to their deaths which made it that much easier. "I'm not sure" she admitted to her fellow Commander in training. "But we have to. Billions of people are counting on us. If we can't do it, they will perish."

"I like you confidence. We'll make it together."

"Patterson and Tucker, unless you possess the amazing talent to talk your enemy to sleep, I suggest you keep your mouth shut" Jackson said strictly when he suddenly walked behind them.

"Yes sir" they both replied in unison.

"_Okay, that's a bad star_t" Akima thought, staring right in front of her to the furred back of the Indarian. _Better not do that again._

At that moment they turned around the last corner, entering a large well-lit hall filled with rows of simulators. These advanced pods were modeled after the cockpit of an ACU and each one could be configured to resemble the interface layout of a particular faction. Once closed they were entirely cut off from the outside and were only able to communicate with each other if the simulation allowed it. Some of the simulators were active, indicating their occupants were engaged in a virtual battle. In order to remain fit for battle, every Commander had to train regularly, even in peacetime. But now they were preparing themselves for the battle ahead.

"Everyone, pick a simulator" Jackson said to his own group.

Kendra lead her group of six to an empty row next to Jackson's while the group of the Cybran Commander took a place in the row behind him.

"Well, see you in the field" Akima said to Lynn, before she entered her own simulator.

Lynn smiled and nodded before she entered her pod and disappeared from sight. It was small, a bit cramped and every square inch in front of her was taken by interface which was still powered down. The chair was surprisingly comfortable and that was a good thing, since the time between deployment and change could take up to twenty-four hours; longer if cut off from reinforcements. Therefore a real ACU was equipped with an advanced waste disposal system, sufficient ration packs and even a system that would keep the pilot awake while suffering from a great lack of sleep by using stimulants. Using those was risky but during critical situations it could be a life saver. Kendra was looking a whole lot different without her cloak, wearing a streamlined battle suit similar to the recruits. She stepped into her own simulator and closed the pod, after telling her group that they could do the same. Doing as ordered, Akima made sure she was strapped in tight and pressed a small button on her left to close the door. The pod slowly closed itself, a soft hiss indicating an air tight seal. For a split second it was completely dark until the system powered up on its own and the panels began to glow. The entire battlefield command interface lit up in front of her as the system ran a quick check. Everything turned out to be okay and when it was finished a female computer voice began to speak.

"System check complete. All systems online. Scanning…" Apparently, the pod was equipped with build-in sensors to scan the DNA of its occupant and retrieve the Commander's profile. But since she was not on record, none could be found. "Unable to retrieve profile. Identity not recognized. Are you a new Commander?"

"Yes" Akima replied carefully.

"What is your name?"

"Akima Tucker."

"Profile created. Hello Akima. I am your ACU for this training session. I have specific orders from you commanding officer to continue when she is ready."

That didn't take long. The panel on her right displayed the image of Kendra in the top right corner, her face illuminated by the interface in front of her. The bluish tattoos on her cheeks and forehead almost seemed to give light of their own and her long silvery white hair did an excellent job at reflecting the light back to the source. Her intense blue eyes had the tendency to pierce right through a person.

"Everyone come in" she called. "Repeat, come in everyone."

The battlefield command interface was still inactive but she was trying to establish a comlink with everyone before the start, to make sure her greenies were ready to begin.

"Lieutenant Akima Tucker reporting Commander" she said, assuming the channel was open.

"Confirmed Tucker."

"Lieutenant Lynn Patterson reporting in." Her image was added to the panel below Commander Natal. "How are you doing Akima?" she asked.

"I'm fine. Thank you."

One by one they reported in. The Akrennian's name was Gach'rho, the Indarian which species closely resembled an Earth fox was named Nyroian. The two other humans identified themselves as Thomas Gardner and Scott McNeil. Both were officers and had been recommended by their commanding officers for the job.

"Good, you're all connected" Kendra said, tapping a couple of buttons on the panel in front of her. "All right, the goal is simple. At the end of this training course you need to be able to fight alongside me or any other Commander in the field. But first things first. Today we will get you up to speed with basic ACU functions and base building. Remember, you can't fight without an army. If you can't get a proper base up and running you´ll be blown to bits sooner than you can say 'fight'. Is that understood?"

"Yes ma'am" all of them replied in unison.

"Okay rookies, let's do it then. This is no Coalition Command School but I'm expecting nothing but the best from all of you. We'll be going to a virtual training ground so you won't have to worry about an enemy kicking your virtual butt. Since I'm in control of this environment, I can add them later when I feel you're ready, if I ever do. Learn quickly or die. That's the only real rule you need to memorize. Get ready, if you still weren't!"

Akima didn't do anything. Kendra started the training program via her simulator and since they were all connected they all entered the same simulation. The same virtual battleground.

"Initiating quantum teleportation" the computer stated. There was a bright flash and the largest of the screens in front of her showed an image as if she were traveling through a tunnel. Though she wasn't really traveling though a quantum tunnel to reach the battlefield, like in the real thing, the simulator gave her the feeling that she was. A second flash indicated the end of the 'trip' and what she saw on the screen was the virtual world Kendra used for her simulation. The planet was almost Earth-like, with a clear blue sky, a few lonely clouds drifting past and forests surrounding her on all sides. Some of the trees surrounding her were either blown away or snapped like matchsticks as a result of her quantum teleportation which created quite a shockwave as the amount energy required was huge. For creating and maintaining a stable connection to send anything as big as an ACU through you needed tremendous amounts of power that had to be released in some way. "Deployment successful. New mass deposits located."

The new areas of interest were immediately marked on her HUD but Akima only noticed it in the corner of her eye. The view was so clear, so highly detailed, as if she were staring through a window. Even better than that. Without thinking she touched the screen, forgetting about the fact that it responded to her fingertips and the view locally zoomed in at the point that had been identified by sensors as new resource deposits. It was remarkable and though technology like this was common in this day and age, she was dazzled by the extensive use of high-tech equipment in a machine solely build for destruction. It was such a marvelous three-dimensional view of everything surrounding her that she almost forgot the reason why she was piloting this thing in the first place. The interface was complex but still easily understandable. There were several views of her battlefield, including a small tacmap on her left and a large above view when zooming out, revealing the entire area covered by sensors to the Commander. There were numerous buttons and controls for various options that would undoubtedly all be covered in Kendra's training but their functions were guessable by their icons. And then there was always the female computer voice lending a helping hand.

"Everyone report" Kendra ordered, the view of her cockpit appearing on Akima's right.

"Deployment successful ma'am" Akima confirmed, switching back to the default view of the area her ACU was transported to.

When everyone reported in Kendra began covering the absolute basics. Everyone listened carefully when she explained the use of the most important functions for now until everyone knew how to work with the advanced battlefield command interface and the viewer. As Akima expected, it was complex but logical and most of the functions spoke for themselves.

"Now we get to the part where we actually do something. Switch to manual control. You can just give orders to your ACU or tap the corresponding button on your left." Doing as instructed, Akima vocally engaged manual control, a faint smile appearing on her lips when two joysticks with various buttons on them slit out from under the screens. "Now move around a bit and get that feeling. Don't worry about the trees or any obstacles. The computer will identify untraversable terrain and halt. The ACU is submersible too so don't worry about getting your feet wet."

Firmly grabbing the controls, Akima pushed them forward to force the simulation of her ACU to walk. Because the simulator responded so realistically, she almost had the feeling she was piloting the real thing. It was just her knowing that outside this thing she was aboard a spaceship but she could swear she was piloting a massive armored suit over the surface of an alien world. The simulator even simulated the trembling and the sound of the ACU's metal feet hitting the ground each time she took a step. It was no ship but it was also unlike anything she had ever flown or driven before.

"_This is amazing" _she thought. She was towering above everything. It was hard not to feel mighty and in control of everything when piloting this machine. _Wait until I tell this to Stith. _

The toothy grins on everyone's faces, was the signal for Kendra that it was time to move on with the next lesson.

"I'm afraid playing time is over. Let's get down to building. All of you should have a couple of highlighted spots, marked on your tacmap and HUD as mass deposits. That is the only resource you need to collect. Your ACU's are generating a small amount of mass and energy of their own but to build and maintain an army you're gonna need more than that. I'm granting you access to the first building blocks of a base. To get resources flowing in, it's important you construct a couple at the start of each battle, or you'll run into trouble. And we don't want any trouble because of someone messing up on the basics. Now head over to those areas nearby and build a couple of mass extractors. Every faction has the same basic set of structures and you'll get to practice with each one but for now we'll stick to the UEF ACU. I'm piloting my own so my units and buildings look different from yours, as you will see when we meet in battle. Go!"

"_Battle?" _Akima thought, steering toward the marked spots on her HUD. Apparently Kendra wanted the fun of crushing them in their first attempt at being a Commander. _We'll see about that. _

"Schematics downloaded" the computer informed her, the bar below her HUD, that had been empty before now showing schematics of several buildings.

When she swept over them with a finger, important info about their cost and build time was displayed on the screen to her left as well as various other data. Some things like 'upgradeable' and 'volatile' instantly raised questions inside her mind but for now it was best to follow orders and build those facilities. Sure Kendra would explain about them later. Giving a set of orders -in the same way Kendra had explained to them before- she watched them being placed into the build queue and while the computer kept track of the estimated time until completion, her ACU was within sufficient range to place the first one. The basic engineering suite on her left arm produced two beams that started to give shape to an amount of mass. The energy literally forced the mass to take shape, atom by atom, resequenced until it had taken the desired form. It was stunning to look at and Akima had trouble believing her eyes for a second but this was vaguely familiar. And then she remembered the way the _Heliopolis_ was built. Those drones, those construction devices, they were based on the same principle. The technology had been courtesy of the Coalition. Jason told them himself. Technology from another universe. When the conclusion jumped to her mind, she was astounded. Their universes had been interconnected since the beginning. And she was certain of that, as she remembered the Seraphim having paid a visit to their universe before, destroying the ship of a certain Mantrin in the process.

"_This is weird" _she thought, shaking the thoughts out of her mind and focusing on her task.

The structures were relatively simple to build and therefore she had them placed within no time. But before she could finish, she already received new instructions from her Commander, just like the others did.

"If you've listened to me you know what to do" she said to everyone.

"Right" Gardner confirmed.

Of course Akima knew what to do. For now they still had contact with each other using the video-uplink. But she had the feeling that would change soon. Her tacmap was still empty. Only the area surrounding her ACU was visible and the visible area moved with her wherever she went. Kendra had already explained that if they wanted to expand the coverage, they had to construct something called a radar system. But that was saved for later because without any upgrades to her ACU, those could only be built by engineers. And before she could build engineers she needed a factory first. So far she had been perfectly able to follow Kendra's instructions. Selecting the schematic of a simple Tech 1 power generator she placed four of them in a row, leaving enough room to place her future factory next to it. After some consideration she added the last one to her build queue right away, which was a good decision.

"Nice goin' Tucker" Kendra complimented.

Akima gave her a slight nod, watching the generators take shape in front of her.

"Hey fox face! Whadda ya think you're doin'?"

"Don't call me fox face" Nyroian grumbled.

The Indarian bared his razor-sharp teeth and added a soft growl.

"You're thinking about fighting before you even got the change to build up a functional base. First the generators, then the factory. Otherwise you won't have the ficken' power to operate it!" She turned her attention to everyone in the group. "First mistake. Learn from it!" Constructing her generators and her factory, Akima began exploring the options while she waited for further instructions. There were various settings but basically these gigantic automated production lines converted her gathered resources into war machines. It was a terrible thing when she thought about the fact that Kendra's people had been at war like this for more than a thousand years. Whole planets and stars completely drained from their resources, only to build more and more killing machines. But now was not the time to take a pacifist stand. Sometimes defending yourself was necessary and this was certainly one of those times. "All right, now build a couple of engineers when you're ready. Having lots of these things can be very useful in a later state of any battle. Remember, this is not a game. Any decisions you make early in battle can greatly influence the fight in later stages. I know you all think it's impossible but be prepared for everything. C'mon, pump out a couple of those builders and see what they can do for yourselves."

"Schematics downloaded" the Computer stated, making a couple of more units available for construction, including a set of defensive turrets for targeting air and land based attackers.

Doing as Kendra said and exploring every option, Akima was really starting to get the hang of it. In some way this was kind of fun. Suddenly a red dot appeared on her tacmap and when she focused her main viewer on the newly identified threat it turned out to be one of Kendra's machines. Designated by her ACU's computer as aTech 1 Air Scout nicknamed _Mirage_, the sleek unarmed flying unit flew over her position and quickly disappeared off her radar again when it moved out of range. Kendra smirked back at her when she looked at her video portrait to the right.

"I can see you Tucker. Nice little base you have there."

"Thank you Commander" she replied, not really knowing what to say. It was safe to assume that Kendra was a dozen steps ahead of everyone, already having an army ready to crush them if she wanted. But there was no such thing as an invincible opponent. There were six of them and only one of hers. _There has to be a way we can beat her. _

Unsure if Kendra was really planning to let them fight their first battle she decided not to ask and focus on building and learning in the mean time.

As the training progressed, the bases of all Commanders expanded and their armies grew. No one in their team was a slow learner and it didn't take long before every single one of them had a few engineers expanding their base, buildings upgraded to higher tech levels and fighting machines rolling off the assembly line.

"Excellent" Kendra said, still keeping track of everyone's progress so far. "Until now you've tasted the basics of commanding an army. But you're a long way from calling yourself a Commander. Each one of you still has one land and one air factory. A true Commander tries to secure as many resources as possible and has multiple factories producing units. Now I hope you're prepared cause I've seen a couple of Seraphim on my patrols." By that, she actually meant she added a couple of virtual Seraphim units to the mission to attack her rookies' bases. "Let's see how you manage yourself in battle."

She really enjoyed this, the smirk on her face betrayed that. Preparing herself for an assault, Akima focused her battle units together to defend the entrance points to her base. Tactics were everything according to her superior so she tried to keep that in mind at all times. Her base was partially surrounded by mountains and there were two main entrance points that narrowed down her enemy's choice of attack angles. She had placed defenses there and concentrated her units on those locations. But they could also attack from the sky and therefore she had a group of _Cyclone _interceptors standing by. Their linked rail guns would make short work of anything Kendra had prepared for her. Maneuvering her ACU toward the largest of the two entrances, where she could support her units, she saw them on her radar. They appeared as red blips, closing in on her location. This was it. She had to prove herself. _C'mon Akima, it's just like flying only now there's no going up and down._ Her ACU automatically identified the different types of enemies. Assault bots, tanks and mobile missile launchers, even some anti-air guns so she moved her interceptors out of range to keep them safe. No need for them against ground units anyway.

"Okay Tucker, let's see what you're made of."

Kendra smiled, watching the upcoming battle from the safety of her base. This would be the first test of her new recruits.

"Let's dance" Akima murmured, keeping her finger on the trigger of the ACU's antimatter cannon. And so they came at her, guns blazing. Before she knew it, she was caught in a storm of blasts, beams and bolts. Explosions were everywhere when machines of both sides died. The extra defenses she had put in place did their job, spitting a constant stream of plasma bolts at the enemy units.

"Commander under attack."

_Keep your head cool Akima. _While her own units fired automatically she preferred the manual control of her ACU, picking off her targets one by one. A second group of enemy units attacked her base from the other side but her defenses seemed to be holding. So far she did well but it wasn't over yet. The computer warned her for new contacts and this time they came from above. Whispering a soft curse, trying to find cover under the small shield generator she had built she managed to get herself to safety just in time. A squad of bombers managed to break through her line of interceptors and launched an attack on her directly, a small barrage of tactical bombs hammering on the protective shield. It wasn't strong enough against that kind of violence and faded out. There were a couple of bright flashes and she was shaken up pretty rough when the simulated bombs detonated around her ACU. She was surprised how real that felt and she instinctively covered her eyes against the light and the virtual explosions.

"Should've kept a closer eye on your radar Tucker! You're supposed to intercept them _before _they reach your base."

"Hey, I'm being pounded on from all sides here. I can't do ten things at the same time."

Now she was angry. What did Kendra expect from them the first time? She was just another human being. Her superior was not convinced however.

"Then you are no Commander. I expected more of you Tucker."

"Don't think I've given up already" she bit back.

That actually managed to get a smile on her superior's face.

"That's what I like to hear. That's the spirit! Now finish 'em off before they finish you off."

Within a heartbeat Akima got her focus back on the battle. Her base had taken significant damage and her only shield was gone but she still had some fight left in her. The enemy ground forces had been destroyed and the bombers were gone but so was most of her army and she still had more incoming, from the sky again. The computer identified them as transports, guarded by few lonely gunships. The transports however, were fully loaded and if allowed to touch down their units would almost certainly overwhelm her. Her ACU had taken considerable damage and despite the self-repair systems she wouldn't survive another direct attack.

"_They're coming at you. Think fast"_ she thought, taking a look at what she still had left. It wasn't much but she still had a couple of interceptors and her air factory was left standing, which was producing Tech 2 fighter bombers. They took longer to build but were more powerful and she had about four of them now. _Only one way to find out if it's enough. _

Grouping them together she sent them at the incoming transports which were already dangerously close to her base. She had only two anti-air turrets left which wouldn't be able to take them out fast enough but her interceptors were too fast for the enemy's gunships. If she did it just right, she wouldn't need those turrets. The sky battle started, and in her favor. The gunships and transports were unable to target her fighters, which were much faster and began to swarm them. One of the transports was being steadily hit, until the engines exploded and the whole craft with its load crashed down against a mountain ridge, the explosion powerful enough to make her simulator shake. Focusing her attacks on the transports first, they joined the other one on the ground, one by one. By the time their gunship escorts reached her base they were cut down instantly by her gun emplacements.

"Excellent" Kendra praised, unable to hide the laugh from her face. "You recovered quickly from your mistake. However you've made another in the progress."

"_Now what?" _Akima thought.

She was still alive, her base was a different story but at least she lived through the assault.

"Your base! You could've rebuilt that land factory already. You could've rebuilt a couple of defenses to prepare for the next assault. This is only a training exercise. In real battle, the enemy wouldn't have hesitated to finish what they started."

Now she had to admit Kendra was right. She had been sitting there, hoping her interceptors would shoot down the enemy before they could reach her position but in the mean time she could've repaired things and give her engineers orders to rebuild the destroyed structures.

"Yes Commander."

There was no shame in admitting her mistake and at least Kendra agreed with her on something.

"I hope you've all learned something from this. Now it's your turn."

Suddenly the faces of her fellow Commanders reappeared on the panel underneath Kendra's. They laughed and complimented her. She had forgotten all about them in the heat of the battle and apparently Kendra had them watch her fight so they could learn from any mistakes she made. She actually felt a bit honored to be the first to test her newly gained skills in battle. They'd been watching all the time.

"Well done Akima" Lynn complimented.

"Thanks Lynn."

"Enough talk! Gardner, it's your turn to victor or to die! Tucker you might wanna rebuild your base in the mean time. We're not done yet. Pay attention so you won't make any of the mistakes he'll undoubtedly make."

"Yes ma'am."

Taking a deep breath, she began building up some of the destroyed structures while keeping an eye on Gardner's base which was temporarily revealed on her tacmap. His base was located on an island, about three kilometers from her location so he had a whole different challenge. Kendra had given him orders to build a shipyard and that was a wise decision as enemy ships moved in, under the cover of a gunship and fighter squadron. The same transports, named _Vishala _were on their way to drop off ground units on the shore. Gardner did well in the first stages of the battle but his air force was taken out too quick and before they could stop the transports. He cursed when the transports set down and their units moved in on his base.

"C'mon Gardner!" Kendra yelled. "Don't let 'em get under your shields!"

But it was too late. Supported by missile fire from the two remaining cruisers his shields failed, exposing his base to enemy fire which gave them the upper hand.

"I can't hold 'em off!" the man yelled, his frantic effort to keep the enemy force from tearing through his base having zero effect.

The row of power generators he vainly tried to protect exploded in a chain reaction. As Kendra said, the adjacent buildings could take advantage of their power and operate at a lower energy cost but it was risky. If one of them blew they took the rest with them. Akima and the others had to watch his ACU lose his balance because of the blast.

"Do something!" she yelled in vain.

"He's done for" Kendra replied calmly and somewhat mercilessly. "He should have focused on his naval force instead of shields."

Shortly after she said that, there was a huge explosion, equivalent to the force of a nuclear bomb. Protecting her eyes from the flash, Akima had to convince herself that he wasn't really dead. But if this were for real, he would have been toast. When the blinding light that hurt her eyes faded away the island was gone and a huge tidal wave hit the shores of the adjacent landmass.

"Thomas are you there?" she asked carefully.

His face appeared on the screen again, though at the bottom of the panel.

"I'm here. And I'm alive, I think. But you can see for yourself that I'm out. I'm sorry guys."

"You focused too much on covering your base with shields." Kendra was definitely not happy with the results of this battle. "Shields won't do any good if you don't have the firepower to back them up. You should have build up a bigger naval force instead. If your base is surrounded by water, make sure you're dominating the seas." She sighed and shook her head. "Okay, next one."

The rest did noticeably better. Everyone had stopped building from the moment Akima's battle started so they all had the same time to build up their forces. Gach'rho barely escaped destruction and destroyed the last enemy using just his ACU. Nyroian did surprisingly well and destroyed most of the enemy force before they could reach his base, but had to use every last unit to do it. And that was a good thing because he had skipped a little on any fixed defenses. McNeil did the same as Akima, fighting off the enemy inside his base but thanks to his balanced defensive force, he managed to hold out till the end. Lynn did well too, having a large air force to attack the enemy while they were still out of range. They did break through her initial counterattack but she did have her defenses prepared. Overall Kendra seemed satisfied but she still had couple of points to complain about. She was willing to offer Gardner a second chance but before she could bring him back into the fight she was disturbed by an incoming transmission.

"Hold it guys, I'm getting something." In the mean time Akima began to wonder how long she was sitting in this simulator. She had completely lost track of time but it couldn't be more than a few hours. She was wondering what Cale was doing right now. _Probably worrying about me. _Her thoughts were interrupted by Kendra voice. "I'm sorry rookies, but I'm afraid we have to cut the battle short this time. Apparently the Seraphim have already set down on an inhabited world. We've been asked for help."

_No. _Akima felt herself getting uncomfortable. It had started. They were at war and the first world had fallen victim to a merciless enemy. They had to do something. They had to respond and now she was part of it. She had agreed to do this and she would.

"Kendra which-" But before she could finish her sentence the system shut itself down. Climbing out of the simulator, stretching her stiff body a little she went to Kendra who seemed just as fit as before the battle. She was accustomed to much longer training sessions and merely considered this playtime. "Commander. Did they tell which world was attacked?"

Kendra looked at her from moment, then started walking towards the exit of the hall. The other rookies were climbing out of their pods as well, following their commanding officers as they left the hall.

"I don't have time for this Tucker. We gotta go now."

"Please Kendra."

"Akima, what's wrong?" Lynn asked, joining her.

Kendra sighed.

"I believe they called it Sogowa but we've gotta go now. There're innocent lives at stake."

"That's the Mantrin homeworld" Lynn said.

Akima didn't hear Lynn's last comment. That uncomfortable feeling she had a moment ago, just got worse. She couldn't believe it. The lives of friends and her best friend in all those years in particular were in danger. She knew her. She wouldn't give up without a fight. The Mantrins wouldn't let anyone take their beautiful world. But this might be the only battle they couldn't win. None of them could, unless they did something. _Hold on my friend, I'm coming._


	33. Chapter 30 Friends No Matter What

**Friends No Matter What**

Akima never thought it would come this far. But when the _Valkyrie_ touched down on the landing deck of Kendra's ship, the_ Spirit of the Way_, she knew this could only end one way. She didn't feel comfortable with all this. Because Korso and his crew had such a good relationship with the members of the Imperial family, Admiral Langley had ordered her Captain to accompany Kendra to Sogowa and make first contact between her people and the Emperor. After General Lance had heard about the attack on the Mantrin homeworld Kendra volunteered to be the first to go to battle. That meant she had to work together with aliens but she didn't seem to have so much a problem with that as her fellow Commanders. Her people were more open to different cultures and seemed to understand the current situation better than the others. They had to put any differences aside for now and work together to remove this threat. They had to ask for the Emperor's permission before they could devise a plan to drive the Seraphim off the planet and that's where Korso and his crew came in; to form a bridge between the two. But for her and Cale that meant they had to leave Iji alone. The Vusstran girl had been on the verge of crying, not because she was afraid to stay home but because she was worried about Akima.

"I don't want you to die" she had wailed with her arms wrapped around Akima's waist.

Iji had started to see her as the mother she never had and she had to admit, Tek's daughter had become her daughter from that same moment. Kendra had given her one hour, to pack anything she might need, to say goodbye and prepare to leave and that was a generous offer because she had actually wanted to leave immediately. The other rookies under her command would accompany them as well.

"You'll continue your training aboard my ship for the time being but under the current circumstances you might get to see a real ACU from the inside a lot faster than expected." Kendra sure put a lot of faith in them and she was convinced they could get the job done if they just put their minds to it.

"All right, power her down" Korso ordered, walking down the metal stairs.

Closing the blast doors and powering down the engines, she heaved a sigh.

"Girl looks worried. Why is Akima worried?"

It was Gune, staring at her with a worried look in his big eyes. She smiled, patting the alien's shoulder.

"It's nothing Gune. It's just… this was not exactly my idea of a bright future. I thought it would all be over after we got Earth back. No more wandering the galaxy. No more Drej. No more people who want to take away our planet. But with all this fighting going on lately, I'm not sure if I can ever lead the life I had in mind." Gune frowned and she could almost _hear _him think. This time his brilliant mind didn't seem able to find the right words. "C'mon Gune, we gotta go."

"Sure sure."

Cale had obviously overheard them talking. Using the railing of the stairs to slide down to the lower level, he placed both his hands on her shoulders and looked in her eyes. Without saying a word he embraced her, his gesture actually saying more than a thousand words.

"It'll be all right. I've heard several scientists have started looking for ways to close those gates for good. They're close to a solution but we've gotta hold on just a little longer."

"I hope so Cale" she whispered in his ear. "Cause it's starting to look like we can never lead a normal life. I just want the fighting to stop."

"I know."

He rubbed her back, trying to comfort her. She had put her uniform jacket over the battle suit she was still wearing. Expecting Kendra to resume the training during the trip to Sogowa she decided not to change.

"Cale? Akima?" It was Korso, standing in the door opening. "C'mon, the Commander is expecting us."

"Yes Captain" they replied in unison.

Dimming the lights, they left the bridge in Gune's wake. Their next stop was Sogowa and that meant they would get to see some old friends again. At least they had something to look forward to.

Neither Akima, nor Cale had ever seen such an unusually designed ship. Both the inside and outside of the_ Spirit of the Way_ were shaped unlike any other ship they had ever seen. Graceful, almost organic, with round shapes and not a single sharp edge. The inside was best described as a temple, a floating sanctuary for followers of _The Way_. It was this mysterious philosophy Kendra's people believed could bring peace between those who surrendered themselves to it. However that didn't mean they were all pacifists as Kendra herself had proved. Sometimes battle was necessary to achieve peace. Kendra had been waiting for them on the landing deck and now guided them through the corridors on her way to a place where they could discuss things. The crew gave them even more the impression that they were not aboard a starship. Some of them wore mantles with a hood shielding their faces. Others, most likely their warriors, wore armor or a battle suit like Kendra and had the bluish tattoos on their faces. They all had a different pattern painted on their skin, quite possibly part of some ritual of becoming a warrior of The Illuminate. The other thing Akima and Cale both noticed was that it was very quiet. The sound of their footsteps was almost completely absorbed by the carpet covering the deck plating and even when Kendra herself talked, her voice was as quiet as a whisper. Apparently she didn't want to disturb the peace and therefore they 'talked' using facial expressions only. Eventually they reached the desired room and upon entering, Korso noticed it was similar to the wardroom aboard the _Strength of the Coalition_. The doors closed behind them without making a sound and when Kendra gestured them to sit down around the table she finally spoke at a normal volume.

"Thank you for coming. This won't take long. We'll make the quantum jump in a few minutes but before I set foot on that world I wanna know what I'm dealing with." She looked at all of them, her intense blue eyes resting on the only alien for a moment. Gune was a bit of a strange figure but she lost interest and focused on the task at hand instead. "Captain? Maybe you can inform me a little. My people have very little experience in dealing with extraterrestrials. Tell me, what kind of people are these 'Mantrins', exactly?"

_That was some question. _Korso didn't instantly know how to answer it. If she didn't have any experience with aliens, this race could be a difficult start.

"Well, for starters, ehmm, they're warriors."

"Ah, at least that's a good thing."

"And, you've already seen one of them during training."

Kendra frowned.

"Who? Fox face?"

"No, they look like… kangaroos."

He just didn't have any other word for it. Just to be sure he told her explicitly not to call them that way. She responded with a nod.

"That guy with the weird legs? Do they all have four knees?"

"Yeah, that's part of their physiology. Anyway, they love a fight, make the finest weapons in the galaxy but most of them have kind of a temper, so you wanna watch what you're saying."

Kendra crossed her arms.

"Hmm, well at least we won't be defending a bunch of pacifists who don't know how to hold a gun. Anything else I should know?"

"We'll be meeting with the Emperor himself. Akima here's an old friend of the Princess. We'll be discussing how to remove this threat without blowing up the planet in the process. I gotta to tell ya, I'm sure they're more than eager to fight with you. In fact, I would be disappointed if they haven't started a counterattack yet."

Kendra snorted.

"Then you forgot to tell me that they're foolish as well. From what I've seen so far is that not a single world in your Republic can hold off a Seraphim assault."

"They're not foolish." Akima felt the need to object to Kendra's words and defend her friend's honor and the honor of her race. Mantrins were in fact very intelligent beings but their sense of honor and loyalty to Emperor and Empire sometimes got the upper hand. "They're warriors and won't let some race just take over their world without a fight."

Kendra stared back at her new recruit, her eyes piercing into hers.

"If you feel the need to defend your friend, then I suggest you do it quickly before she gets herself killed." Her words were still harsh but with a bit more understanding in them. "If they throw themselves into battle like that they're putting themselves at unnecessary risk. Now's not the time for rash acts."

The silence that stretched out over the table created a tension between the two. Akima knew that Kendra was right though. They had to act and they had to do it quickly before innocent lives were lost.

"Bridge to Commander Natal."

"Yes, what is it?"

"We're ready to make the jump."

"Proceed Captain."

"Attention all decks. Standby for quantum jump activation."

Kendra gazed out of the window, the _Valkyrie_ crew doing the same, watching the stars taking a different position. The ship was turning for what Kendra called a quantum jump. It was a form of instant point-to-point travel far more efficient than warp but also much more complex. With this technology they could cover the distance between New Earth and Sogowa in a few seconds.

"Watch."

In the mean time a fissure was opened in front of the ship -something they couldn't see from this angle- to create a tunnel through the quantum realm. Watching the window, the stars suddenly disappeared when the ship was sucked through the tunnel and crossed an unbelievable distance at near infinite speeds. For a moment everything seemed to happen in slow-motion. When Akima looked at Cale, she saw his facial expression slowly change into amazement. Outside this tunnel, time passed at a normal rate but for those inside the ship everything seemed to go much slower. It took only a few seconds to make the jump and when they made the transition back to normal space they snapped out of it like someone threw a bucket of cold water over their heads.

"Gune has never felt something like that before."

The alien had grabbed his head and began counting his fingers. Suddenly he yelped, staring at his hand like it suddenly turned invisible.

"Gune, you only _have_ three fingers and a thumb" Cale said with a laugh.

"Right, right" the alien panted, still studying his hands to check.

"Not bad" Kendra remarked, a smile playing on her lips. "Some people feel the need to throw up after their first time."

"Akima, look."

Cale pointed at the window and when she followed his finger, she saw a planet had come into view. They had really traveled an enormous distance but, were they in the correct system? Before she had the chance to check, an alarm went off and the lights turned down a bit, a faint glow of red spreading over the walls.

"Bridge to Commander Natal."

"Now what?"

"We have several vessels on an intercept course. They're locking weapons."

"Are we in the correct system?"

"Sensors indicate we're at the exact coordinates as provided by the Republic."

Kendra turned her head toward the _Valkyrie_ crew with a tug.

"Looks like your so called friends have turned against you. They're preparing to blast us to bits."

"We gotta get to the bridge" Korso said, jumping up from the chair so fast it nearly fell over. The Mantrins obviously thought that they were part of the Seraphim assault force. This could get ugly if he didn't do something quick. "Yani, I thought you said they were informed of our coming."

"That's correct sir. I don't understand either."

The Asian woman shrugged, looking at her fellow officers with a confused look on her face.

"Try to send 'em our codes" Brian suggested. "Let them know we're Republic."

With a quick nod, Korso followed Kendra to the bridge, running as fast as they could. He didn't know how much this ship could take but he wasn't going to bet on it with a fleet of Mantrin warships incoming. When they arrived on the bridge, which wasn't very far from the wardroom Korso was so dazzled by what he saw that he didn't know what to do for a moment. The command deck was huge and the arrangement of the stations so complex that he had no idea. In the middle of all the floating translucent holographic displays sat the Captain, preparing his ship for battle and yelling orders. Fortunately Kendra knew what to do and handled quickly.

"What do you need?"

"I need a console. I gotta send 'em those codes or we're gonna be toast."

The whole bridge was surrounded by one big panoramic window and several Mantrin warships were on approach, ready to drive the unknown and potentially hostile vessel from their territory.

"Here, I'm gonna tell the Captain not to fire."

Sending away a crewmember from his station she granted Korso access while she made her way to the Captain of the ship. Not that it helped much. The interface was so complex and so different from what he was used to that he still didn't know what to do. He could only guess what all the buttons were for.

"Can I help?"

It was the crewmember who sat behind the station before Kendra sent him away.

"I need to send a code to those ships to let them know we're friendly."

There was more than a hint of panic in his voice but luckily the man was more than willing to help him. He gestured at an input area on the left panel. _C'mon, c'mon. _He tried to enter the identification codes as quickly as he could, fearing the first shots would be fired any second now.

"No response to our hails Captain" one of the crew reported.

"Use this button to send."

"Thanks."

When he was done, praying he didn't make any mistakes, he tapped the send-button. His heart was pounding against the inside of his chest, a thin film of sweat forming on his forehead. It was silent for a moment but until now weapons hadn't been fired yet. Kendra appeared next to him and had managed to call off the attack from their side.

"Did you get it through?"

He nodded, hoping he would get a reply from the other side. The Mantrin fleet was within firing range but they had halted, obviously trying to verify the codes. As he knew, that could take time, but this long? Maybe they didn't trust it, thinking it was some kind of trick.

"Captain, incoming transmission from the alien ships."

Korso let out a sigh of relief, feeling enormous load drop from his shoulders.

"That was a little too close for comfort."

Kendra shook her head but didn't comment on that.

"This is Captain Atheyu of the Imperial warship _Zishtharu_. State your business!"

The cranky Mantrin's head was projected in front of the Illuminate Captain. Before he could reply, Kendra had led Korso to the command chair.

"Captain, perhaps it is best if we let him speak. They've officially asked the Republic for support, not us."

The man nodded, stepping aside for Korso so he could speak on behalf of the Coalition. The Mantrins had obviously expected a Republic ship to show up and the arrival of a Coalition starship had raised suspicion. Before he spoke he cleared his throat, looking the Mantrin in his eyes without fear.

"This is Captain Joseph Korso aboard the Coalition starship _Spirit of the Way_. We are here at the request of Emperor Zahn himself."

Some of the hostility disappeared out of Atheyu's eyes and from his voice when he replied.

"Then I must ask you to accept our apology. We thought you were part of some elaborate deception. The ship you're on shares a couple of similarities with the Seraphim vessel that launched an attack on our world."

"We understand."

The Captain of the _Spirit of the Way_ stepped forward to face the person who nearly attacked his ship and crew directly.

"My name is Captain Zassar. Illuminate ship Commander and Captain of the _Spirit of the Way_."

Atheyu smirked.

"Impressive ship you have there human. I'm sure it would have been an interesting battle."

"A bit short I think."

Zassar sounded quite sure of himself but Atheyu narrowed his eyes to slits.

"Be careful what you say human" he grunted, pulling with his upper lip. "Me and my crew are prepared to fight to the death for our Empire. I don't think you have the guts to say the same."

"Now wait a minute you-"

"Okay, okay enough." The sparks were flying off this discussion so Korso decided to intervene before Atheyu continued his attack. They were here to make peace and fight a common enemy, not each other. "Captain, if you would be so kind to guide us in? We don't want to keep your Emperor waiting."

The Mantrin snorted and broke off his stare with Zassar.

"Of course not. Tell your friend to follow my lead. The Emperor has given you permission to transport directly to the palace gardens with that fancy technology of you. He'd make sure you receive a proper welcome. Atheyu out."

"Kinda full of themselves, are they?"

Kendra stared at the space the holographic screen had occupied just a second ago. The Mantrin fleet resumed its patrol but Atheyu's ship made a tight turn and returned to Sogowa Prime, expecting the Coalition starship to follow.

"Follow 'em" Zassar ordered, taking place in his command chair.

Following Kendra off the command deck, Korso was glad they had sent him and his crew with Kendra, just to be sure. Otherwise this would've ended in a nasty shootout and the last thing they needed was getting caught in an armed conflict between the Mantrins and the Coalition.

It was the middle of the Sogowan day and temperatures were up high in the thirties range when Cale, Akima and Korso materialized in the middle of the palace gardens, together with Commander Natal and her escorts. They all three had a déjà vu moment after they recovered from using Kendra's version of the transporter. Her people's extensive use of quantum technology resulted in a device called a quantum teleporter. The concept was roughly the same but in the core very different from Starfleet's version. The use of the quantum realm as the medium to move the compressed data stream through was highly advanced and in theory had a near infinite range but the power requirements increased exponentially with the distance. And where the technology instantly had her husband interested, Akima was just glad she didn't feel any different and appeared to be in one piece. They were standing on the soft grass between the lush green vegetation, the sweet smell of flowers, their ears tickled by the musical sound of the fountains and the twittering of birds. The first thing she felt, just like everyone else for that matter, was the need to remove her uniform jacket. After the cool atmosphere of Kendra's ship, the heat was like a miasma, nearly preventing her from taking her first breath. At least the battle suit was cool to wear, even under these circumstances but Kendra and her officers had greater difficulty. Her officers wore uniforms and she herself was wearing her cloak. Akima figured they should've told her that Mantrins were not exactly people who cared much about clothing. Maybe she just wanted to make a good first impression but in this case she was overdressed.

They started walking until they reached the tiled plateau below the broad stairs leading up to the entrance. Kendra and her men were obviously not feeling entirely comfortable, their heads moving from left to right, no idea what to expect. But they were informed of their arrival as suddenly, a crossbreed Mantrin and two of his escorts of the Palace Guard walked down the stairs towards them, energy lances in their hands, the light of the sun reflecting off the spherical tips of their weapons. They halted a few steps from their position, putting their lances on the steps and greeting them. Removing the hood of her mantle from her head, Kendra made a very slight bow.

"Greetings human allies. My name is Jola. His Eminence the Emperor is waiting for you."

"Please."

It was Korso who gestured them to take the lead and signaled the others to follow. But when they arrived at the top of the stairs, about to enter the house of the Emperor, a familiar face appeared in the arched opening. Akima had almost forgotten how big her friend's mate was. More than seven feet tall, with arms the size of tree trunks and the enormous triple-jointed legs he was huge and Kendra did a step back when he arrived so spontaneously. He crossed his arms, glaring down his muzzle at them, until the edges of his beak curved into a smile. Stepping aside, he laughed, a powerful sound but with obvious joy in it.

"Akima, Cale, Korso it's good to see you again." Just because she knew he didn't like it, Akima made a slight bow for him, resulting in Kendra and her officers doing the same. Kero laughed again. "Akima, don't do that."

"It's good to see you too Kero."

The Prince's bright blue eyes caught the other guests and instantly remembered him why they were here. He sighed, his voice having lost some of the happiness when he spoke again.

"I hoped we would meet again under better circumstances though." Signaling Jola that it was okay, the guards left, leaving him with his father's guests. "Come. My father is waiting." Throwing a look over his shoulder, trying to keep his pace down a little he smiled. "I've got someone else waiting for you as well."

"I've been missing her ever since."

And that was true. Stith was her friend and always would be. They had been through a lot together and they both had a difficult past and seemed to look forward to a peaceful future. Kero lead them through the corridors to the throne hall which was almost back in its former state since the unfortunate incident that involved a certain girl. Since it was an internal matter, the Prince decided not to tell his human friends about it. There was no need for them to know. While she and Cale had a nice chat with him on the way, Kendra and her officers followed silently, in the mean time absorbing every little detail of their surroundings. Mantrins were master warriors and there were many signs of their culture everywhere in the palace. The Imperial palace was indeed an impressive building, the atmosphere inside remarkably cool, a slight breeze blowing through the corridors.

When they arrived at the top of the stairs leading to the throne hall the Emperor was waiting, staring outside over the city of Ta'keth. Next to him stood his daughter-in-law, doing the same, talking to him. The tall stone doors were open and Stith instantly noticed her mate when he approached them with his father's guests in tow.

"Father, our guests have arrived."

The Emperor was even bigger than his son and easily dwarfed every single one of the humans. Dressed in the same style clothing he always wore he received his guests with a slight nod.

"Welcome my friends. Time has passed since we last spoke and I regret to say that things are not looking good."

The sound of his voice was mighty and powerful but friendly nonetheless. Signaling the two guards near the entrance to leave, he turned his attention to the small Illuminate brigade. Having removed the hood of her mantle, Kendra looked up to him fearlessly, making a bow for him, her officers following her example.

"From the Colonial Defense Coalition, Kendra Natal, Supreme Commander of the Illuminate."

It was Korso who represented her but Kendra wasn't intimated at all, like most people who met the Mantrin Emperor for the first time.

"It is an honor, your Eminence. But I feel obligated to warn you. The enemy is moving swiftly. We have to act quickly if want to stop them."

Zahn smiled and let out a laugh that sounded like bark.

"Straight to the point and rightly so. Indeed Commander, please follow me. I'll ask my servants to bring us some refreshments and then we can talk."

As the Emperor left, Korso and Cale followed but Akima remained standing where she stood. She and her friend had made eye contact from the beginning and she had seen Stith smile. But she didn't know how to speak to her right now. They were friends but Stith was a Princess now. She couldn't just walk up to her and talk like they did before, could she? It was Stith who decided to break the ice, sensing her friend didn't feel as comfortable around her as before.

"Hey Akima" she said in a friendly manor, stepping a little closer.

"Hello Princess."

Stith noticed she was a bit shy and hesitant to speak. She knew what this was about and it wasn't true.

"Akima please, don't think this changes anything between us. We're still friends and the way I see it, we'll always be." Finally she looked her in the eyes and smiled. Spreading her arms, she embraced her human friend for a moment, rubbing her back. "Hey how are you? What are you wearing anyway? Is that the latest in fashion on your world?"

"Long story. I'm glad to see you Stith. I know it's not that long ago but it sure feels like a while."

Letting go of her the Mantrin put a hand on her shoulder.

"I know what you mean. C'mon let's have a talk."

A moment later they were standing on the balcony, enjoying the view, talking about everything that happened in the past few days.

"Congratulations. I can't believe you're getting children. I thought you once told me raising children was not your thing."

Stith made a sound that held the middle between a snort and a laugh.

"I've said a lotta things in the past but that was before I fell in love. Who could've guessed my life changed the way it did? For once in my life I can say I'm truly happy Akima." She grabbed her friend's hand and put it on her pregnant belly. "Kero is so happy lately. Every time he sees me he's looking at my belly." She sighed. "I'd never thought I'd raise a family one day. But you know the guy who changed my mind."

"Yeah, Cale and I are talking about getting our own one day. You know, we didn't even have time for our honeymoon." Suddenly the whole conversation got a much more serious tone. About all the things that were happening lately. About how hard it seemed to live a peaceful life with all those races around who thrive on war and violence. "It always ends up in fighting. Can't we all just… get along with each other?"

Her friend thought about it for a moment. Everyone always talked about what an amazing goal it was for all races to peacefully coexist and work together on a better future. But until now it all looked like a dream to good to be true.

"At least it's something worth fighting for" Stith eventually replied. "Did you hear the news? We've got Mantra back to its original state. I was there when it happened. I've walked on the surface. It was beautiful."

"That's good to hear. I've heard that Qu'ut Prime's been recreated as well."

Her friend suddenly groaned, leaning against the stone railing of the balcony, putting a hand on her belly.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Happens all the time" Stith grunted. "Try being pregnant yourself. Then you'll know."

"Lucky for you it only lasts a few weeks. We humans have to walk around with our babies for nine months."

"I don't know how you manage."

Clenching her teeth she grumbled something inaudible in her own language, possibly a curse word of some kind. Akima hadn't heard the heavy steps of feet behind her until the voice of their owner spoke up. Judging by the tone the person wasn't very friendly so she turned around carefully, not sure what to expect. Standing a few meters away from her stood a Sogowan Mantrin, arms crossed, his golden eyes locked on her, the contempt in his voice also present on his face. Stith hadn't seen him coming either but cocked her ears when he spoke.

"Step away from my daughter."

Still clamping her stomach she turned around, holding up her hand.

"It's okay dad. This is Akima, the human I told you about. She's been my friend for quite some time now."

"Your… dad?" Stith nodded, a faint laugh on her face. "My real biological dad. I couldn't believe it myself when he showed up."

Akima studied the person standing across her, for a moment forgetting the expression on his face. _Stith's real father? _It had taken her friend a long time before she had finally let loose a few details of her past. Just like her own it hadn't been easy and it involved losing her parents but the living proof of her father being alive was standing right in front of her.

"Stith's father. Well, nice to meet you sir. My name's Akima."

"I said step away from my daughter!" She had wanted to shake hands with him but now did a step back when he approached her in a threatening way, his foot claws scratching over the tiled floor, his eyes flickering with anger. He snorted angrily, his ears flattening on his head. "Your presence defiles this place human! You're in the house of the Emperor here! Show some respect!"

Stith felt herself getting angry. They had talked about this before and even then she didn't like what he had to say. But this was going too far. She did a step toward him, making sure she stepped in front of her friend, her right leg forming a barrier between Akima and her dad.

"Dad, what are you talking about? She's my friend!"

"Stith, I don't want you around humans anymore. I can see what kind of influence they've had on you and I don't like what I'm seeing."

"Please, I don't want to cause any trouble" Akima tried to solve the situation.

But it was too late. The Mantrin who presented himself to her as Stith's father was angry and the argument with his daughter had only made things worse. He aggressively bared his teeth at her but acted like he didn't hear her comment.

"Why do you always have to look down on people who are not like you?" Stith spat back at her father.

"Stith, I am your father and I know what's best for you."

"Yeah? Well, you're about seventeen years too late with telling me what to do!"

"Stith, you will listen to me!"

"You're just like _them_! I hate you! Come Akima."

Guiding her friend past her father, putting her own body in between, one hand on Akima's shoulder, she shot her father one last angry look. The anger on Ganyu's face had suddenly disappeared. He was shocked. His own daughter had just said she hated him. She hurt him, hit him in the place where he was most vulnerable. But it was his words that might have hurt her as well. That human, Akima had really been his daughter's only friend ever since he disappeared out of her life. Now he wasn't so sure about himself anymore.

"Stith wait." She cocked her ears but kept walking, leading Akima out of the throne hall. "As your father I-"

She didn't listen. Ganyu's ears sagged. Letting out a deep sigh he let his head hang sadly, until he heard footsteps behind him. When he looked up it turned out to be no one other than Zahn.

"Sorry I overheard you talking. I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

"She hates me."

"You know that's not really true Ganyu but you've just given her the impression that _you_ hate her best friend." Zahn paused, giving the father of his daughter-in-law time to think about what he just said. "I don't know if you're interested in hearing my opinion but I don't think you're doing the right thing here."

"What do you know?"

"A _lot_, Ganyu."

"But you weren't there!" Ganyu turned around, the anger back in his eyes. Zahn was unimpressed and simply crossed his arms. "You weren't there when those humans turned against us. They treated us like animals; no even worse."

"I_ know_ what happened Ganyu and I was angry just like you when I heard about it. But is it right for us to judge an entire species, based on the acts of a single small group?"

Ganyu sighed, calming down a little. Normally Zahn wouldn't have tolerated someone speaking to him like this. And Ganyu was about to teach Akima a lesson about respect? But he was the father of Stith and obviously upset about what happened. He couldn't really blame him, but it was wrong of him to judge Akima based on what her people did in the past. What they did _was_ wrong but this was here and now and she had nothing to do with it. "I think you owe two people in this palace an apology and I'm not one of them."

Ganyu looked at him, a hint of sadness in his golden eyes.

"Still, I apologize for my improper behavior. I was rude."

Zahn nodded, the edges of his beak curving into a smile.

"Now go and see you daughter. Don't forget Ganyu, the humans are here because they wanna help us. I've almost come to an agreement with Commander Natal."

Ganyu gave him a quick nod over his shoulder and left. Maybe it was time to get over it, to let the past be the past.

"I don't understand why he's doing this!" Stith slammed the double wooden door of her bedroom shut with a loud pair of bangs, sitting down next to Akima on the side of the huge bed. Akima could feel her friend's anger. It radiated from her, like warmth from a heater and she heard Stith grind her teeth. She had one idea about why her father would react so hostile toward her. She was glad Cale wasn't there when it happened. He would have defended her for sure and most likely be on a hospital bed in the infirmary by now. Fortunately Stith's actions prevented a fight but her father had given her the feeling she was the cause of the trouble. But his daughter ensured her that it was not true. "How can he say things like that? He doesn't even know you."

"I think I have an idea what this is all about."

"Yeah, I know. But even so, he has no right to treat you like this." She heaved a sigh and resting her right elbow on her thigh, placing her head in her hand. Brushing her ears back she looked at Akima, sitting left from her. "I need to calm down. Kero says it's not good for the children for me to get angry all the time."

"He's right about that."

She put a hand on Stith's shoulder but pulled it back instantly. Stith flattened an ear and flung her own arm around Akima's shoulder.

"Don't think this changes anything between us." She shook her head. "I never had all this luxury; all this wealth so I'm trying to lead my life as normal as possible, without constantly looking down on people who are less fortunate."She rested her head on Akima shoulder, something that surprised her a bit. "You've always been my friend ever since we met, regardless of the fact that I'm not your race. Thank you."

"I'm glad to be your friend too."

"We'll always be friends no matter what happens." They just sat for a moment, listening to the sounds around them, mostly from outside. Until somebody knocked on the door and disturbed the piece. Stith knew who it was and didn't reply on purpose at first, until her father let them know he wanted to come in. "Go away! I don't want you in here right now!"

"Stith, please. I-I'm sorry. I didn't know why I got so angry. Please let me in." Stith grunted, thinking it over for a moment. The voice of her father sounded sincere and she had the feeling someone talked to him about his behavior. Maybe The'lah or Zahn did because she didn't believe he would come here to apologize all by himself. She growled in affirmation and when Ganyu pushed open the left door and let himself in, his ears were lowered to a horizontal position and his tail had almost dropped to the floor. Closing the door with a soft thud he stepped toward the bed where his daughter and her friend were sitting, careful not to give them the impression he was here to continue his argument. First he turned his attention to his daughter. "I'm sorry for the things I said. I guess I just wanted to protect you."

His daughter snorted derisively, staring back at him with one copper-colored eye.

"You sure have an odd way of showing it! I don't need protection. If there's one thing I proved over the years it's that I can take care of my own."

Ganyu sighed, his eyes drifting toward Akima. The look in his eyes was a whole lot different than last time and there was a clear portion of regret layered over his voice when he spoke.

"I'm here to tell you that I'm terribly sorry. I had no right to talk to you like that or judge you because of things carried out by your people in the past. I hope you can forgive me for the things I said."

Stith was obviously still mad but Akima was a forgiving person. She didn't know what Ganyu had been through, what he had witnessed in his past but his anger had spoken for him. What the humans on Solbrecht did to his people was horrible and she only knew about that because Stith told her once. Those responsible should've been punished. Right after that, steps were taken to make sure something like that would never happen again. Unfortunately, colonies on Solbrecht had grown even more separate and racial discrimination was still a common phenomenon everywhere in the galaxy, especially on worlds were different species lived next to each other. On the old Earth, there was a time when Pro-Earth movements were popular. Small groups of alien haters who wanted Earth to be free of extraterrestrial presence. Most of them were just small groups of activists but one in particular became pretty powerful during a certain period. Aliens on Earth really had to watch their backs. The government suppressed these groups but they would never fully disappear and they groups existed on other worlds too, to protect their respective races against alien influence.

"I forgive you. I can only imagine what you've been through and how it must've been but I assure you, I'm not like that. I wish members of different species could live together for a chance, without the fear, the hatred and the discrimination."

"Thank you. I-I don't know what happened. The moment I saw you talking to my daughter, something just snapped inside of me." He shook his head and approached his daughter carefully. "Can I sit?" She nodded, but barely and he sat down on the bed on her right, studying his claws. "I'm sorry my daughter. Please, I don't want you to hate me. I just got you back."

He looked at her with tears in the corners of his eyes. Akima gave Stith a gentle nudge but she knew what it meant. She let out a long sigh and embraced her father for a short moment.

"I didn't mean what I said dad but you promised me you weren't a hater. And yet what happened just a moment ago was enough proof to tell me that you lied."

Ganyu gently nuzzled between her ears for a moment, pressing her against his chest.

"I didn't know what I was saying. I guess it brought back all those memories from the past. Those were pretty dark times Stith. You were so little when it all started. Your mother and I were afraid something would happen to our family too." His eyes found Akima's again for a moment. "I guess I blamed you for everything that went wrong in my life."

"It's okay" Akima replied with a warm undertone in her voice. "I can see how much you care about your daughter. She's really one of the best friends I've ever had."

He smiled.

"My name's Ganyu by the way."

"Akima. Nice to meet you."

Suddenly Stith sucked in her breath through her teeth, pushing herself away from her father, clamping her stomach. She had one of those contractions again but this time it seemed to be a rather nasty one.

"Are you all right?" Ganyu asked.

"I'm fine. But it's just…" She started panting, biting her teeth, one hand on her swollen belly. She cursed in her own language, her father flattening an ear for a moment, wondering where his daughter had learned to say things like that. "Sorry. It hurts." She had barely recovered from the first wave when the second one hit her, even more powerful than the first. She growled in pain, her breath coming in short bursts, sweat welling up on her forehead. Akima placed her hand on her shoulder, now a little concerned about her friend. Stith confirmed what she already thought. "I think… I think they're coming. I can feel the eggs moving. Damn, I never thought it would be going this fast."

She tried to stand but fell back on the beds, thumping with her tail on the mattress. "Shall we help you get to sickbay?" Akima asked, grabbing her friend's muscular arm.

"Something tells me, I don't have any other choice" Stith panted, groaning in pain, flinging an arm around her father's neck and the other around Akima's.

It was a little difficult to support her because of her wide legs but she had done this before. She had to carefully place her left foot behind Akima's steps and move her other foot in unison with her dad's but it worked. She had two children to deliver and she could hardly wait until it was over.


	34. Chapter 31 The Warning

**The Warning**

"Thank you for waiting. I've made my decision."

It was all quiet when Zahn reentered the room where his guests were waiting. It seemed like the only option. Commander Natal and her warriors had to do their thing. He didn't have any other choice. But there was one thing that made it all even more difficult. The Emperor heaved a deep sigh, blowing the air out of his nostrils, looking at his guests.

"Commander Natal, you have my exclusive permission to do whatever you see fit to remove this threat from our world, under one circumstance. I am the ruler of a very proud people. We are warriors. Fighting is in our blood. I want my warriors to have the chance to fight alongside your forces."

From the moment she set foot in the Emperor's palace, Kendra had seen this coming. They were fighters. They wouldn't just watch while another race did the thing they were supposed to do: fight. One thing was for sure. Max wouldn't like the idea of aliens operating Coalition weaponry. But the Illuminate military was under her command. He had nothing to say about the way she commanded her forces and what pilots to pick for her ACU's. And with that thought in mind, she nodded respectfully giving the alien ruler the answer he wanted to hear.

"You have my word that my warriors will do anything in their power to save your people. As for you warriors, I'm looking forward to see your best fighters in action. They will fight and train together with my other recruits aboard the _Spirit of the Way_. We have to be quick. If we allow them to build up their forces, soon their strength will be too great for us to counter. I will have a few of my Commanders prepare for deployment into the field immediately."

"And you have my permission to coordinate your counterattack together with our forces. We have to come up with a way to draw the enemy's attention away from any population centers." Crossing his arms, the Emperor let his eyes glide over the attendants in the room and then outside into the distance. "We still have one major problem however."

His eyes found Kendra's again. What he noticed again was that she looked back at him, without showing any fear but with respect. Most people who met him kept their eyes down but this human woman was a lot different. Even if she hadn't presented herself as a military leader, his instincts told him that she was a warrior of the highest class. Not afraid to look death in the eyes and still being able to smirk. He liked it.

"You must understand. Despite our seemingly violent nature, most of my people have always lived in harmony with our environment. Many of us still do and that's why we have a lot of primitive tribes living in the forests of our world which do not share our ideas of a modern life. They are aware of us, just like we are aware of them but their way of life has remained unchanged. If we do nothing to warn them about what's coming their way, they will all die. That's why I am going to send out teams that will each visit a couple of tribes and warn them about the current situation. I can only hope that they're willing to listen to reason and stay with us for the time being."

"You want to bring your people to safety first before the fight starts?"

It was Korso who asked the question but Cale who replied.

"Is that possible in the short amount of time we have?"

"We have to try" Zahn silenced both of them. "I'm the Emperor. I've sworn an oath to protect my people no matter what happens. I know there's a risk involved but-"

His sentence was cut off when the door behind him was opened by his mate The'lah.

"Zahn dear, you might wanna-"

"The'lah, I thought I told you I didn't wanna be disturbed during this meeting."

Turning her head away from him with a tug, she snorted indignantly.

"Oh, so you don't want me to tell you that your daughter-in-law has just gone into labor?" she replied snappishly.

If she hadn't turned around to walk away with a whip of her tail she would have seen her husband's beak fall open.

"What?"

"C'mon Stith! Push!"

She growled angrily and shot her mate a dangerous look.

"If you say 'push' one more time I'm gonna pull your ears off your head!" she shouted, panting, the sweat dripping from her forehead.

Touching his ears, Kero replied with a soft voice: "Please don't do that. I love my ears. I'd hate to lose them."

She didn't even hear it as she groaned in pain once more. Everyone had gathered around her bed in sickbay to witness this very special but painful moment. The'lah had hastily come back with her mate and her youngest son and even Kendra had been invited. Her escort was waiting outside the infirmary but she watched in silence while Stith tried her best to deliver her children. Though it would still take a couple of days for the eggs to hatch after delivery it was still an event worthy of celebrating. Akima supported her friend's head while she did everything she could to get them out. And of course her father was there with her, encouraging her, though he knew his daughter could only do this alone. She was sweating, panting and tired and it hurt like someone had fired a blaster at her underbelly. She was lying on the bed on a large towel, her legs spread wide and placed on two supports on both sides.

"How big are those eggs?" Akima asked the doctor.

She had never seen a Mantrin give birth but she imaged the eggs to be the size of ostrich eggs.

"For her particular race they are about twenty to twenty-five centimeters long, sometimes bigger" Che'kan explained. "They can weigh up to three kilograms and each of our races' eggs has a characteristic color pattern."

"That's pretty big."

"Yeah, if they weren't I think they would've been out by now" Stith hissed through clenched teeth.

"Well, I think you're lucky. With your species' legs it would've been difficult to get them out without the egg."

"Very funny" she grumbled. Akima couldn't help but laugh but Stith was angry. "Stop laughing! I wonder if you can still laugh when you've gotta deliver your kids!"

"Sorry. C'mon you can do it Stith. You've been through far worse than this."

"I'm not… so sure of that."

Her voice trailed off in another shout when she pushed again.

"I can see the first one!" Kero said excitedly.

Stith didn't fail to notice the undertone of joy in his voice.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself!"

Her mate walked over to her other side and touched his beak to hers.

"I know you're in pain but you gotta hold on. Keep pushing."

"Whadda think I'm doing?"

She groaned again and pushed with all the strength she could still gather. Her groans ended in a shout, followed by a triumphant cheer of Che'kan.

"There's the first one Princess."

Looking over her swollen belly at the space between her legs that had been empty just a moment ago she now saw a pale brown, fairly large egg with black specks. Within the safety of its hardened shell, one of her children awaited the perfect moment to hatch. Back in the old days the mother would keep the eggs warm between her legs until they hatched while her mate cared for her and it was still done this way in the tribes. But modern technology made this unnecessary. Che'kan carefully wrapped Stith's egg in a towel and placed it in an incubator. In this controlled environment the eggs would be kept at the ideal temperature for them to hatch. It was perfectly safe and Stith was glad that they cared so well for her and her Mantries. Her friend was fascinated but remained at her side while Cale took a look at her first egg inside the incubator.

"Thirty eight point two degrees."

"That's our average body temperature, thought it varies very slightly per race."

In the mean time Stith was hit again by another contraction. She still had one more egg to deliver. The more she tried not to squeeze Akima's hand too hard, the harder she squeezed in her dad's. At least his hand wouldn't be crushed if she did.

"Just give it one more push Stith. You're almost there."

"I know dad! But I'm so tired."

She could barely control her breathing when she spoke.

"On three then." She nodded vaguely, squeezing her eyes shut, preparing herself for the last effort. She felt like someone was cutting into her underbelly with a hot knife. The pain was intense and came in waves. "One." It would all be over soon. Two children, so tiny, so innocent, with no idea about everything that awaited them once they hatched. "Two." She and Kero could give them all the love they needed and they would grow up here in the palace. A safe environment where all of their needs could be fulfilled instantly. At least they wouldn't have to live the same life as she did. They could grow up with their parents at their sides. "Three! C'mon Stith, just one more push."

Clenching her teeth together, fighting against the tiredness and the pain she took a few short breaths and gave it one last push. She was still screaming when it was out. Panting, she let herself fall back on the pillow with Akima's voice in her right ear telling her that it was over.

"And another one." Repeating the procedure, Che'kan wrapped the second egg in towels as well and placed it next to the other one in the incubator. "I'm happy to tell you that your children both seem to be doing well Princess. Both eggs have a healthy weight and no abnormalities have been detected so far."

"Thanks" Stith panted. "But _I_ am not… doing so well. I… I think I'm gonna be out… for the rest of the day."

"And you've earned it. It's not easy delivering two eggs."

Opening one eye she forced a smile to appear on her face when Akima smiled back at her as well as her dad and Kero.

"I'm proud of you" Akima laughed, squeezing Stith's hand.

"Me too. But I'm always proud of you. You know that."

Her father lightly rubbed between his daughter's ears.

"And don't forget me" Kero added, touching his cheek against hers.

She still managed to wrap her arm around his neck and embrace her mate. Licking his cheek, he returned the favor by licking the lobe of her right ear.

Akima was really happy for her friend. She once told her that raising children was not her thing.

"I'm a warrior not a mother."

But she was about to prove that being both at the same time wasn't impossible. It made her think about getting her own children. Cale had agreed of course, without any objections. But with the current situation she was afraid it had to wait, just like so many things lately.

"Akima."

It was Kendra's voice and the tone was enough to tell her that it was time to leave.

"Kendra please. Just a few more minutes."

But Kendra shook her head before she could finish her sentence.

"Look at your friend Akima. She's happy now and in good hands. If you want it to stay that way you come with me now. We are at war. Innocent lives, including hers are at stake." Akima sighed. She said nothing and stared at Stith. Her friend and now a mother of two children was caught by her tiredness and had fallen asleep. The people who were her family took care of her. If she were honest to herself, there was no need for her to stay with her friend as well. "Come" Kendra urged, turning around to leave the room.

She followed but Cale's hand stopped her before she could leave and before she could say anything his lips were on hers. For a moment they kissed, knowing it could be a while before they would see each other again.

"Don't do anything reckless."

"You don't know me too well, do you? I've been reckless all my life Cale. If you're afraid to take risks you'll never get anywhere."

"That maybe true, but it's usually the thing that gets people killed."

"Lieutenant Tucker."

"All right! Just a minute!" That woman sure knew how to get on her nerves sometimes. "Cale, I can't promise you anything but I'll try to stay out of the crap as much as possible. It might be unavoidable, after all this is war but I'll try to rest as often as possible and do my best at all times."

Cale smiled, though she knew it wasn't a real smile. It wasn't enough to fully hide his concern but he patted her on the shoulder nonetheless and embraced her firmly for one last time before he let her go.

"Go get 'em!"

She nodded and left with Kendra who gathered her men and prepared to return to the ship. Suddenly Korso stood next to him, feeling the young men's concern for his wife.

"I don't think you should worry too much Cale."

"D'you know what you've gotten her into?"

"Whoa, don't blame me now."

"You talked her into this."

"Relax Cale. I wouldn't have done so if I believed she weren't up for it. Remember, I know her a lot longer than you do."

Angry at his Captain, both for being right on that one and for talking his wife into the crap she was in now, Cale left the infirmary to get some air. The fate of this entire world was now partly in Akima's hands. He couldn't do anything but support her and even that he couldn't do while she was away, on the battlefield.

But before he was out and well, he had to flatten himself against the wall as Jola wanted to enter, shooting him a quick glance as he passed by. The guard was followed by a group of little Mantrins of different races and another Mantrin which made a sting of recognition flash through his mind. He knew that guy! His name was Galen, a scientist who wanted to turn children of his own race into all-powerful beings. Connecting the scientist to the children walking in front of him made his mind jump to a conclusion he wasn't sure he liked. _Did he succeed? _The Mantrin's eyes narrowed to slits but neither of them said something. The children had obviously never seen a real human as they all stared at him for as long as possible. Shaking his head, he decided not to pay any more attention to it. It wasn't his problem anyway.

"My lord, more guests have arrived."

"Uncle Kero!" one of the little ones shouted with pleasure.

Before he knew it, the Prince had a group of children swarming around his legs, hugging him from all sides.

"Hey guys, how are you?" he asked, patting Jicko on the head.

"Children please!"

The Mantrin who had been their father ever since he gave them their powers gestured at a sleeping Stith. They all fell silent, their lips forming the word 'oh'.

"What's wrong? Is she sick?" Syndar whispered, carefully approaching the Princess.

His brothers and sisters followed, trying to let their feet make as little noise as possible.

"No no, she just laid her eggs. She's very tired now and needs to rest."

Kero's powerful voice was as quiet as a whisper and so were those of the children.

"Can I see them? Please?"

"Me too."

They were all jumping up and down but their father had his finger on his beak when they looked at him. Kero made an 'it's okay' gesture and guided the younglings to the incubator in which Stith's eggs were waiting to hatch.

"Are they really in there?"

"Were we like that too once?"

He nodded.

"Yes. Though you probably don't remember. I didn't remember either. Nobody does."

"Where do Mantries come from?" Pynch asked, pressing his nose against the transparent barrier, separating the atmosphere inside from the outside world.

_Oh great, the big question. _It was not up to him to tell them the truth. They had their parents now and they would tell them when they were old enough.

"Ehm, you parents will tell you one day but when a Mantrin and Mantrinesse love each other very much, just like Stith and I do then they do 'something' and then a little Mantry, sometimes two will start growing inside of her."

A couple of ears flattened as they thought about what he said.

"What's that 'something'?" Fran asked.

Bowing through his knees, to get closer to him, Kero made a face.

"You're asking a lot of questions you're not supposed to ask little boy" he teased, smirking upon Fran's reaction.

"I'm not little! I'm as big as… as… Well, I'm big enough to know."

When Kero was still shaking 'no' he gave up, letting his ears and tail hang.

"You'll know soon enough. By the way, where's your little sister? I'm only counting seven of you."

"I thought Reylyn said she would come but I don't see her."

Reyan added a shrug, looking at the others as if the answer to her absence was written on their faces.

"She'll come" Eyza whispered, sounding pretty sure of herself.

"Come children. Let's go to a place where we can talk."

It was Zahn who decided that it was time to leave and let Stith get her well-earned rest. The children nodded and wanted to leave but not before they noticed Korso standing in the corner of the room. Before he knew it, Korso had seven pairs of eyes fixed on him and he soon found himself in the middle of the attention. The children were as curious as kittens and it didn't take long before they were standing about a meter away from him.

"Are you a real human?" one of them asked.

Korso was not sure what to say. He felt like being in a zoo on the wrong side of the steel bars. He couldn't really blame them. After all, _he_ was the alien here and these kids had obviously never met a living member of his race before.

"As real as they come."

He smirked. Some of them began to study him like scientists in a lab and made a circling movement around him. They all began to whisper and of course his physical was the subject.

"Just look at how tiny his legs are."

"Yeah, where's his tail?"

"What's that strange brown stuff on his head? Is that hair?"

"Guys you're being rude" a shy Sonowan girl warned her brothers and sisters.

"Children, children! What are you doing? Leave the man alone."

"Sorry daddy."

It was Galen who tried to keep them in tow but he forgot all about it for a moment when he and Korso exchanged looks. A little spark jumped over and Galen was the first one to respond.

"You."

"I believe we've met before" Korso replied calmly, instantly remembering where he had seen that face. It didn't take long to conclude that these children where the products of his experiments. They looked healthy and practically harmless but despite being curious about it he didn't dare to ask what they were capable of. The children were following the conversation however.

"Who is he daddy?"

Galen didn't reply at first but turned his back on the human.

"No one children. No one. Now come."

Everyone left the infirmary but where the group of Mantrins went right, to the throne hall, Korso went left and brought his wristcom to his mouth.

"Cale, where are you?"

"Outside" Cale's voice replied.

"Decided to get some air. Something wrong Captain?"

"Not necessarily. I'm heading your way."

On their way to the throne hall, Kero noticed the girl with the golden hair, named Shezu tried to stay away from him a little. He knew why. She had almost killed his mother with her powers. He had been furious at her and could have killed her at that very moment. Never had he felt such rage before. She had harmed the people he loved and nearly taken them away from him. But when Stith had talked into her, she seemed to become her normal sweet self. His mate had turned the angry creature that was being consumed by hatred back into a frightened little girl. He had apologized to her for yelling but she still hadn't come near him.

"Hey" he said, trying to break the ice a little. She looked up, then down again.

"H…Hey" she replied timidly.

"Is everything all right? How are you?"

"I-I'm fine. Thank you."

She absent-mindedly started playing with her hair, trying to cover up her face with the curly golden locks. Her long tail had dropped down a bit, the tip with the silky plume slowly whipping.

"Aren't you glad to have your parents back?"

She nodded.

"Mom and dad really love me but I miss the others so much. I'm happy when we can spend time together, with dad."

She now looked at him directly and pointed at Galen. She still viewed him as a father and so did the others.

"I understand."

It was difficult for her. He wondered, if she had a choice who would she choose? Her real parents or Galen? Fortunately she didn't have to choose. Her parents would be devastated if she rather wanted to live with the Mantrin who took her away from them as a Mantry then with them.

Arriving in the throne hall Zahn spoke to his son first.

"Kero, I've talked to Commander Natal and we still have some difficulties to work out. The tribes, they're in danger and we have to bring them to safety. I want you to visit a couple of them and inform them about the situation. Take Stith with you as soon as she's back on her legs."

"Yes father."

"Don't go with too many people, it might raise suspicion and have the opposite effect."

He handed his son a holoscroll with some of the details.

"Can we please go with you?" one of the children nagged.

"Then we can visit our friends!"

Galen knew what they meant. They had told him about their stay with the Trunali. They had taken good care of them and made them part of their family. Explaining the situation to Kero and his father they eventually agreed. It might help if they brought a couple of familiar faces. But for the other tribes he had to go alone with Stith. When his eyes caught the last tribe of the list however he didn't know what to say.

"Father, I believe you've made a mistake. The last tribe, we have-"

"I know Kero. We haven't had any formal contact with our aquatic siblings for decades but I still want you to try."

"Yes father. I will."

He was not sure about it though. The aquatics were a race of Mantrin entirely different from the others. They were Mantrin but as their name suggested they lived underwater, had both lungs and gills, a scaled skin and specially evolved hands and feet for swimming. Being somewhat xenophobic and extremely timid they rarely showed themselves and didn't even interact with their land dwelling counterparts. They had left Mantra on their own ships during the escape and their technology was presumed to be highly advanced. Those who had seen them with their own eyes said their underwater cities were beautiful but fiercely guarded by their inhabitants. They had almost become a species of their own and contact had been non-existent for years. He wanted to leave and prepare for the trip but before he could, two more Mantrins with a little Orketh girl in their middle entered the throne hall, flanked by guards who were sent away by his father with a quick gesture.

"Hi everyone!" Reylyn yelled. "Meet my little brother!"

In her arms she was carrying a tiny Orketh boy. She had a little trouble keeping his legs off the floor. He cackled with joy and was so excited that his sister could barely hold him. She put him down on the floor and let him walk on his own, which he did fairly well, trying to keep his balance, step by step.

"Ahhh" The'lah cooed, encouraging the little boy. "Come little one. You can do it."

Kero couldn't help but smirk. Stith told him about something Akima said to her once. "How can such cute little creatures turn into the most fearsome warriors in the galaxy?" Reylyn's brother nearly fell but cleverly used his tail to keep his balance and slowly started walking in Jicko's direction.

"No no, not me" he Jicko said, fearing it was too late.

"It's an honor my lord" Reylyn's father said, he and his mate making a slight bow for their Emperor.

"It's all right" Zahn replied, gesturing them to stand.

In the mean time, Reylyn's little brother had wrapped his arms around Jicko's waist and embraced him firmly, not planning to let go any time soon.

"He's really sweet" the boy said, not sure what to do.

"Do you like Jicko?" Reylyn asked.

Her brother cackled and nodded.

"Hey Reylyn, we're going back to the forest with Prince Kero. Then we can see Kenagi again!"

"Really? That's so cool!"

Kero shook his head, wondering who they were talking about. They had made friends with the people of the forest and he would love to meet them.

"Reylyn! Your brother is drooling on my shirt!"

"Oh sorry, he does that sometimes" Reylyn laughed. "Come little brother. Let's go."

Leaving the throne hall, Kero decided to arrange a couple of things for tomorrow. He wondered if Stith was ready for it after today but he already knew that as soon as he would bring it up, he couldn't keep her here.

"Excellent Tucker! You're showing progress beyond anything I'd ever expected."

"Thank you Commander."

"You're not there yet. Keep your eyes on your tacmap, you've more incoming. Keep those assault bots rolling off the assembly lines."

Though letting her attention slip away from the battle simulation at this moment could be fatal, her thoughts were still with the people who were really fighting for their lives at this exact moment. A total of three Commanders were working closely together with each other and with the Mantrins to put a stop to the invading Seraphim forces down on Sogowa. It was late in the evening and she was still in training with the rest of the rookies and several experienced Commanders who either prepared themselves to relieve the others in the field or for future battles. What happened a couple of hours earlier only encouraged her to train even harder and force herself to seek out the limits of her abilities. An entire city, gone in the blink of an eye, wiped off the face of the planet. All those innocent people. She had heard the last screams of the soldiers as they tried to protect their loves ones, how they suddenly lost contact with everyone in that area. Kendra had tried to warn the Mantrin Commander, but he had been too proud to listen to reason.

"A small regiment of our warriors have been sent to defend the city."

"Your men are all dead" she had bluntly said.

The look he had given her and the growl that left his throat had been enough to scare most people away but Kendra hadn't moved a single bit.

"How _dare_ you!"

But unfortunately Kendra had been right. The battle was over before it began. Soldiers, no matter how well-trained, were simply no match for an army of soulless machines. The Mantrin had called every curse word in his species' vocabulary. A little while later, intel had confirmed it was a WMD. Therefore, Kendra had ordered her Commanders to get anti-nuclear facilities ready as soon as possible.

"I'm not going to lose another city!" she had said.

From that moment on, Akima had a great respect for Kendra Natal. She had made it _her _problem and would do anything in her power to protect an alien race she didn't even know of a couple of days ago. She had a lot of nerve but also a lot of strength to back up her words. Tomorrow she would go to the battlefield herself and devise a strategy to make this conflict a very short one. And maybe, maybe she would take one of her rookies with her. This time it would be for real.

"You ready?"

"I was born ready."

Of course she wanted to go with him to warn the tribes about what was coming. This day was just like yesterday, only now the Mantrin race was formally at war and on their own planet. Trying not to think too much about it, Stith had stuffed a few of the necessary things in a backpack and prepared for the trip Kero had planned. There were four tribes on their list, including the Trunali and Galen and his children were waiting outside. They would take a small transport as the first two tribes were not far from the city. She wondered what they would be like. On their way to the palace's main entrance she suddenly had to think about Solbrecht. Some Mantrins just choose to live a simple life without modern technology.

"Something on your mind? Stith?"

"Huh? Sorry, I was just somewhere else for a moment."

"I noticed" her mate replied with a laugh. His tone became serious all of sudden. "Try not to think about it. We're gonna save these people."

That was not what was on her mind but she said 'yeah' nonetheless.

"Kero, have you ever met these people before?"

"Once, not so long ago with my dad. Most of them are peaceful, if you mean that."

"Why do they live like that?"

Kero shrugged.

"They just do. Some of them even despise technology, saying it is the thing that divided our people in the past and is responsible for the devastation of our world."

"I know the stories, a little bit."

There were many versions though and she was eager to hear Kero's.

"Many believe it was Kirliya who brought our people together during the time of the Great Wars." He shook his head. "It was terrible. Races fought between each other, killing for no reason at all. For example, you and me. Just the fact that your skin is a different color than mine would be a reason for us to hate each other."

"But why would that make us any different?"

She now had a better understanding about what Akima told her dad after their argument. No matter how stupid it might sound, things like racial discrimination still existed, even in these days, thought mostly not among members of the same species. She wondered where these strange ideas came from in the first place. Was it in people's nature to fear and despise that which is different?

"We nearly extincted ourselves until She finally made us realize that we were all the same from the inside."

He chuckled.

"Reminds me of something my grandmother told me once. 'In the end we're all created by the same universe' she said."

"That's a very wise thing to say" Stith commented, wishing she could've got to know Myrzah better.

"Kirliya made them realize their mistakes and brought peace between our far ancestors. After all, we are all children of the First Warrior. Some say it is due to technology, others say the devastation of Mantra is the wrath of Kirliya for the mistakes we made in our past." At that moment they left the palace, finding themselves standing out into the open, the sun casting its hot shine down upon them and everyone else who dared to venture past the front door of their houses. Galen and his children were waiting to board the transport parked in front of the palace's main entrance. "Let's go." The enthusiasm was layered over his voice when he gestured everyone to board the small vessel designed for sub-atmospheric flight. Gesturing his children to hop aboard, Galen greeted them both and was honored to join them on this trip. They would stay with the Trunali and hopefully they could get the tribe to move to a safe place out of the fight. "Everyone aboard?" Kero asked, taking his place into the pilot seat, firing up the primary systems and running a full check. Eight children cheered in the back of the ship. They could hardly wait to see their friends. "All right. Let's see, altitude control, thrusters, landing gear."

Stith frowned, watching her mate act a little clumsy behind the controls of the ship. A child could fly it.

"You do know how to fly this thing do you?"

"Of course I do. I haven't flown for some time. I'm just checking."

About half a minute later, he was done 'checking' and fired up the engines, which began to emit a low hum. Tapping a couple of buttons the ship broke loose from the ground after which he grabbed the pair of joysticks in front of him. Pushing them forward the craft gently glided through the air on its way to their first destination. The children were constantly talking, unable to hide their enthusiasm.

"So, what's with these tribes?" Stith suddenly asked.

Kero laughed, trying to divide his attention between the conversation and flying the craft.

"As I've said before, most of them are peaceful but it all depends on race. Oh, before I forget it might be a good idea not to tell them that we're together. In most tribes, intermarrying between races is strictly forbidden."

"That's stupid."

"Maybe but that's one of their rules. Banishment from the tribe is not an uncommon punishment for breaking that particular rule."

From the corner of his eye he saw his mate crossed her arms, obviously not agreeing with it. She stretched her legs a little and yawned. Yesterday she had slept through most of the day. She had only woken up in the evening to eat something and then it was off to bed again. But not without giving in to her motherly instincts and wishing her children inside their eggs good night. According to the doctor it would take a full year before she could reproduce again.

"Shall we try two children first before we think about getting more?" she had said.

The nursery was next to their bedroom so they could get there quickly if something was wrong in the middle of the night. They had managed to keep the names of the little ones a secret. Everyone would know, as soon as they were born.

"Furthermore, they speak a different kind of language then we do and several dialects are spoken between different races and tribes. That's why I've equipped our UT's with the latest updates available but I'm not sure if it's enough."

"Oh, we'll manage."

"I hope so" Kero replied with a laugh. "I can only hope we don't accidentally do something to offend them. Their customs are so different. Sometimes males and females sleep separately. Fjetahna are lead by a matriarch as well as the Ryrjhii."

"Women in control, I like the sound of that" Stith said with a chuckle.

"I bet the father of Kiké and Naea is having one hell of a time with two girls and a dominant mate."

Kero laughed with her.

"The diversity of our species is just amazing don't you think? And then I haven't start talking about mating with other species yet. I heard Mantrennians are not that uncommon in the colonies."

"Yeah, me and Preed, can you imagine?" Stith replied with a snort.

"Not really no, but our races seem to be compatible."

"I don't think my dad would've liked it."

She was certain he wouldn't. At least he had accepted Akima as her friend but mating with a member of another species? He would've ripped his alien head off and crushed his remains under his feet. "We're gonna have a hard time finding a landing spot" Kero mumbled, trying to find a hole in the cover. Using the craft's limited sensor capabilities he eventually found one, though it was a little off course. Not that he had any other choice because the tree cover stretched itself out all around them. Putting the craft down with a gentle bump he powered down all systems. "Okay, let's go."

It was like walking into a wall of heat when he left the ship, the humid warmth of the forest hitting him like a suffocating wave that instantly made him want to pull out his shirt. The thick cover of leaves offered some protection against the sun but the high humidity made it difficult for the body to lose its warmth. A couple of minutes later, they were walking through the forest following his lead as he followed the coordinates on his scanner. He was sweating and so did Stith and Galen but the children had already pulled out their shirts and tied them around their waists. They didn't seem to have so much trouble with it.

"Are we there yet?" Fran asked.

"But we've just started walking" Kero replied.

"It's really hot here" Stith grumbled, pulling her wet shirt.

Fortunately it wasn't far but they were underway for a few minutes and she had started sweating already. Kero had told her they didn't have to bring anything with them but now she craved for a bottle of water. Taking a look around her she finally became aware of the forest, it's sounds, it's beauty. The forests were a very important part of the planet's ecosystem and without them Sogowa would become just like it was before her species settled on this world. She was aware that not all animals that lived in the jungles and forests were harmless so they were on guard in case a predator decided to catch some prey.

"Wait, I sense something" Eyza whispered.

Her voice was barely audible but when the other children stopped too to feel, Kero halted.

"I can feel it too. Someone's coming" Shezu added, her eyes closed, her abilities at their sharpest.

"What's it children?" Stith asked, getting ready for a fight with her claws and fists.

Kero didn't let her bring a gun on this one. It could raise suspicion under the people of the forest.

"I think I know-"

"Halt, identify yourselves!" When Kero turned around to face the owner of the voice that had spoken in an old dialect he didn't recognize he was staring right at the shining, possibly poisoned tip of an arrow, placed on the tensed string of a carved longbow used primarily for hunting. The Mantrinesse holding the bow had a look in her eyes just as poisonous as the tip of her arrow and the paintings on her face and chest, indicating her status as an experienced hunter, gave her a dangerous appearance. She was joined by two others from her tribe, a male with another longbow and another male with double blades carved from the bones of animals. They were all Sogowans and Kero suspected they had found three members of the tribe they were looking for. Holding up his hands to show them they weren't hostile he forgot he was still holding the scanner in his right hand. "Drop it!" the female shouted, threatening with her bow.

"We come in peace" Kero said carefully, hoping she'd understood. The translator seemed to have trouble with the dialect. He needed her to talk a little more. "My name is Kero. I-"

"I said drop it!"

The female hunter snorted, studying him as if she could pull any hidden intentions straight out of his mind. She hadn't seen the children until one of them detached itself from the group, hiding behind the back of the grown-ups.

"Arojah?" Jicko asked carefully.

The look on her face changed from anger and hostility to confusion and disbelief. Blinking a few times to convince herself that her eyes weren't deceiving her, she eventually lowered her bow, giving the other hunters a nod that they could lower their weapons as well.

"Children?" she brought out. "By Kirliya, I thought-"

Watching the children gather around her legs she seemed a bit overwhelmed by the sudden discovery. Kero and Stith didn't know what to say and so did Galen who stood next to them.

"So these are the people who took care of my children" Galen murmured, watching the Mantrinesse named Arojah rub between their ears.

"I can hardly believe it myself. I thought she would shoot that arrow right through my chest" Kero said, feeling his heart rate slow down to a normal level.

Fixing her eyes on the adults, Arojah signaled them to follow.

"Come, we'll take you to our village."

Kero was glad they had taken the children with them. If he were honest to himself, he didn't want to know how first contact would've ended without them. Not that they were killers but some were known to defend their territory and hunting grounds fiercely and didn't allow outsiders.

The village was similar to the one he had visited once with his father. The houses were made of branches and clay and were quite large. Light was provided by torches during the dark hours and in the middle of the community were the large fires used for all kinds of things including the honoring of the First Warrior. The female hunter named Arojah lead the group to the center of the village and instantly became the center of the attention. Stith was fascinated, intrigued by this primitive group of her own people who were essentially one big family, loving and taking care of each other at all times. And they were all members of her race, which reminded her of what Kero told her about intermarrying being forbidden. At the moment they were preparing the afternoon meal, using all three fires for cooking. The men had come back from the hunt with fresh prey and the women had gathered fruit and vegetables. Of course none of the Trunali had forgotten about their special guests and it didn't take long before all eyes were fixed on the children. It was silent for a moment when everyone stopped with what they were doing. Eyes flashed from Kero, Stith and Galen to the younglings and back. Kero didn't know what to say to everyone and was nailed to his spot on the ground. He had to be careful what to say as he didn't fully trust the UT at this moment. But again, it were the children who did the trick when they recognized the members of the tribe they became friends with.

"Reylyn!" a small girl yelled, running up to her Orketh friend.

"Wojé!"

The two girls embraced each other firmly, glad that Kirliya had given them the opportunity to meet again.

"Children!"

When the amber-colored eyes of Oywelu had found those of the children they were filled with tears of happiness. Most them ran up to her and hugged her legs, except for Eyza and Reyan. To them these people were total strangers. "Oh children, I thought they had taken you. Thank Kirliya that you're all right."

"I can hardly believe my eyes."

The warm motherly voice belonged to Jetréycka. The Mantrinesse who had taught them so much about her tribe's customs was in the same emotional state as Oywelu.

"Jetréycka!"

The group of six split themselves over the two Mantrinesses but it became difficult as more familiar faces came to see them.

"Hello younglings. It's good to see you again."

Fri'kaja, the old shaman was first hugged by Reylyn and she touched her hearts, just like she did before. Rubbing between the little girl's ears, she smiled, enjoying the moment of pure happiness she felt. The last one to greet them didn't say anything but smirked, waiting for them to notice him. And when they did, he hadn't expected such an overwhelming response.

"Kenagi!"

All six children let go and jumped at him, taking him down to the ground, licking his cheeks, his ears, wherever they could lick him.

"Wait! Wait! I surrender. Not all at the same time!" the hunter begged.

Everyone laughed but eventually they wanted to know who the others were.

"Look, these are Reyan and Eyza, our other brother and sister. They were taken by those bad men."

"Welcome to our village. I hope you enjoy staying with us" Oywelu said with her warmest voice.

"Thank you Miss" Reyan replied.

Eyza, who was extremely shy at the moment merely nodded.

"I was afraid they had taken all of you" Jetréycka said.

"Oh they did" Pynch replied.

"But then Shezu became very powerful and she saved us all."

"Please, don't say that" Shezu said, a hint of sadness in her voice. "I don't wanna think about what happened. I did terrible things. I've hurt innocent people."

When she said that, Stith felt the need to say something. Indeed, she had done some terrible things, especially for a little girl but she was very sorry.

"It's all right. We have forgiven you."

She put a hand on the girl's shoulder. Shezu grabbed her hand and looked back in a grateful way.

"Sorry sister. I didn't wanna hurt you" Pynch apologized.

"It's okay. You didn't do it on purpose."

"What is this?" the deep low voice of Ayi'kutan silenced everyone. Kero immediately recognized him as the Chief by the feathered crown on his head and made a slight bow for him to show his respect, though he didn't exactly know if that was the right way. "Welcome back children." He turned his head toward the adult strangers. "Who are they?"

"That Mantrin is our daddy and the other two are Kero and Stith. They are a real Prince and Princess."

_Oh no, why did he have to say that? _Kero almost instinctively grabbed his head, praying the boy would've kept his beak shut. Now they knew they were a mated pair of two different races. Fortunately that fact didn't become the subject of the conversation. Ayi'kutan breathed a slow sigh through his nose and tapped his fighting staff on the ground.

"Why have you come to us?" he eventually said, after some deliberation.

It was time to tell him the actual reason of their visit. For the children it was simply a reunion with their friends. The real reason however was anything but good news. Kero wondered how the Chief would react. Maybe the children could help him translate a little as they seemed to be using their powers to make their words understandable to them.

"I don't think I understand" the large Sogowan Mantrin replied.

"I know it's difficult for you to understand but please believe me" Kero begged. He sat with the Chief, Stith, Galen and the children away from the rest of the tribe. They would hear about the situation when Ayi'kutan had made his decision. But the Chief was confused at this moment. Talk about a great evil. Beings from other worlds. He knew that the city people traveled beyond the sky but this was a bit hard to comprehend. Did they bring evil spirits back to their world from the great unknown? Was that what the Goureg Prince was trying to tell him? "They are no spirits. They are beings like us. With a living breathing body. But they want to destroy our home. Their only desire is to kill everyone."

Ayi'kutan let out a low grumble deep in his throat. He shook his head and muttered something indistinct.

"This is your fault. Your people are traveling past the sky and bring back evil from what's beyond. If you had stayed here, they wouldn't have come."

Kero would be lying if he said that wasn't true. But even if his species decided not to explore space, other races would and their curiosity would've drawn them to their world anyway. But explaining all of that to Ayi'kutan wouldn't help. He wouldn't understand.

"Please, you are in great danger. My people want to protect you. We can offer you protection against this… evil if you stay with us until they're gone. We are doing what we can to remove it from our world."

"I can't do that."

"But they'll kill you. Their machines will come and-"

"This is our home! We will fight them if necessary. Our hunters are also great warriors if battle calls" Ayi'kutan responded fiercely.

"You can't fight them with your weapons. They are very powerful. Even we have trouble fighting them with our weapons."

But Ayi'kutan shook his head, stood up and sighed.

"At least we die with honor. We will prepare for battle. Tonight all three fires will burn for the First Warrior alone. May she help us achieve our victory."

"But-"

"My decision has been made 'Prince' Kero."

The tone in his voice made Kero hesitate to say anything more. This was what he was afraid of, that he couldn't make them change their minds.

"No please listen."

It was one of the children who now begged Ayi'kutan to ignore his stubbornness. It was Jicko again, the boy who had spoken to him on many tense moments. He was glad that he seemed to have at least one ear listening.

"What is it?" the Chief grumbled.

"He's right. You will be killed. Our sister Shezu has seen them in a dream. Everyone was dead. It was horrible. She can show you if you want."

Ayi'kutan closed his eyes. His brain appeared to be working at full speed and Jicko sensed that he was begging Kirliya for help in this difficult decision. Suddenly his eyes opened and flashed into Shezu's direction.

"Show me."

When she was done projecting the images in his mind, Ayi'kutan wished he hadn't agreed with that. He had seen a terrible creature. It was like the one in the stories. A face in the form of an ice cold black cloud with red eyes, that was the best description. He had felt the same thing Shezu felt during her dream. How it nearly touched him, how the cold reached into his body and turned his inside into ice. How it had spoken, with a voice so evil it scared him like nothing had ever scared him before and how it had all felt so terrifyingly real. He was panting just like Shezu when it was over. Even for her it was horrible to recall those images and project them into someone else's mind.

"Father. Father what's wrong?" Kenagi asked, running up to him.

His father was sweating and there was fear in his eyes, something he had never seen before.

"It's okay Kenagi. But there's something I have to tell everyone. We have to leave. I think it's best if we stay with them for a while. I've… I've seen something and it was terrible."

"Yes father."

Now he had his son worried too. He could see it in his eyes. But this was serious. Kero had spoken the truth. Though the child ensured him it was only a dream and this cloud of evil wasn't what they looked like, it was still reason enough for him to make a decision he never thought he would make in his whole life.


	35. Chapter 32 The Empire of the Seas

**The Empire of the Seas**

"Well, looks like we're back where it all began." Sitting at the bar in the _Lighthouse_, Preed was playing with his third glass of Akrennian ale, shoving it over the bar between his hands. The light green beverage tasted surprisingly good for one not served on Akrennia. He wasn't drunk yet but if he continued drinking like this he soon would be. The people behind the bar were always busy and as always the _Lighthouse_ was stuffed with people. If he listened closely with his good ear, he could hear music playing between the chatter. Most fragments of the conversations he picked up were about the conflict which wasn't surprising. The Seraphim had made their first move and no one had expected them to attack the homeworld of the most fearsome warrior race in the galaxy. Maybe that was the reason why everyone was so upset. Everyone except Ayko who always seemed to enjoy herself in places like these. "Here at this very bar, we met. I remember like it was yesterday."

She let out a giggle and shoved her glass into the direction of a bartender to get it filled again.

"It sure was one hell of an adventure."

Thinking back about everything that happened in such a short period of time, he was glad he was still alive. He had looked death in the eyes on many occasions but not so many times on such short notice. She suddenly became a little serious, seeming to forget that she was drunk. Resting her head on her arm on the bar, she looked up at him.

"Hey, I never thanked you. You know, for saving my bro."

"Oh that. Well, I couldn't just let him rot. He's your brother."

"Yeah, thanks for reminding me." She chuckled. "But seriously, he _is _a real pain in the ass sometimes but he's still my brother. So that makes him _my _pain in the ass."

"Well, he didn't seem like such a bad guy."

She laughed, taking a sip from her new glass of ale.

"Now you can tell my dad that you saved his butt too. I wanna see his face when he freaks out."

She suddenly forgot about her drink and grabbed his head, pressing her lips on his, bringing her tongue inside his mouth. He nearly knocked over his own glass when her sudden move caught him by surprise. Maybe it was because he was a little tipsy or it was because he got so excited by Ayko's lovemaking that he didn't notice that everything began to tremble slightly. The glasses on the bar and the tables slowly began moving toward the edge until people started noticing it wasn't just the alcohol in their drinks that made things move. The trembling became more violent and when glasses really started to fall off the tables several individuals stood up. Gently pushing Ayko away, she first looked at him a bit indignantly, asking him why he was being so annoying, until she finally noticed what had caught everyone's attention.

"Alert, all Republic personal, please report to your commanding officers. We have a situation. Repeat…"

The repeated message was lost in the screams that followed. The trembling had become more violent and suddenly the entire city was shaking to its core when something huge impacted on the planet's surface, apparently not that far from its location. Now not just glasses, but people fell over. The shattering of windows added to the chaos. Nobody knew exactly what was happening but it couldn't be good.

"What the heck's going on?" Ayko yelled in his good ear.

"Don't know. Let's take a look."

The trembling had stopped so he sped toward the railing of the lower terrace to take a look at what kind of damage it had caused to the city. The immense structure of the _Heliopolis_ was built to withstand even a high level earthquake but not completely without structural damage. It was chaos inside the city. Small fires had broken out in several places, billboards had broken off from their supports and one of the pedestrian bridges had collapsed. The fact that the city was alive at every hour of the Earth day made him fear the worst for the people who had been on it when it happened.

"By the Gods" Ayko brought out, grabbing the railing in front of her to take a look over the edge, just like most people did. "What could've caused this?"

"I believe I heard something about a planetary breach. Do you think they mean…"

His voice trailed off and they looked at each other for a moment, coming to the same conclusion at the same time. Sogowa Prime was not the only world in jeopardy anymore.

No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't get the look her mother had on her face when she stood on the doorstep out of her mind. She wasn't even angry, as expected and that surprised her a bit, but what she did instead was far harder to endure. Kiké felt miserable, sitting in her room on the bed, with her back against the wall for only Kirliya knew how long. Her mother hadn't spoken a word to her yesterday when she returned from the ship, yet she had given her enough signs that she wanted her upstairs and in her room. Her father hadn't said much either. Yesterday she had just been mad. Her own parents, grounding her like little child. She had felt the desire to yell and use her fists to vent her anger in some way. There had been a nasty argument between Naea and her mother as well but she knew there was no way her sister would win it from her mother. Now things were different. It was in this room that she had last seen Jeth. He could have been the perfect mate for her. Handsome, loving and kind but she had found out the hard way that looks could be so deceiving. She felt so lonely without someone beside her parents and sister who cared for her. Before she knew it, the memories made the tears run down her cheeks. Burying her face between her knees, she cried softly, wishing it would have been different. That Jeth would be here to comfort her in his arms. Now she was all alone. She sat like that for a minute or two until someone opened the door of her room. Not even looking up she continued to cry softly, until she felt someone sitting down next to her on the bed. The other person sat next to her for a minute or so until she felt tugging at her arm. When she finally allowed herself to look up, it was her mother who looked back at her.

"Kiké I…"

She touched her hand to her daughter's cheek which was wet from the tears. But before she could finish her sentence, her youngest daughter threw herself against her and cried on her shoulder. She breathed a sigh and brushed through her silky brown-reddish hair with her claws, rubbing her back.

"Mom, I'm so sorry. I know you have the right to be mad at me but… but I wanted to go so badly."

"Shhh, it's all right. It's all right." Slowly rocking her in her arms, she let her relieve her feelings. She wasn't just crying because of what she did wrong but also because of the whole matter with Jeth. She didn't want to talk about it the day that it happened but Naea did. Grabbing Kiké by her shoulders she gently detached herself from her daughter and looked in her tear-filled eyes. "Listen to me Kiké. What you did was wrong and-"

"I'm sorry, I never wanted-" she cried, tears dripping in her lap, her shoulders shaking.

"No no, listen Kiké." Her daughter looked down at her chest, her bottom lip quivering, her ears lowered to a horizontal position. "I know you're sorry and you never should've disobeyed me. But during your absence you father and I had a talk and… and maybe it's time to let you go." Kiké was silent for a moment. Did she hear a sob at the end of her mother's sentence? Looking up she noticed her mother was biting her lip and her own eyes began to fill with tears. "I think it's time for us to accept that you and your sister've grown up. You two are no longer the little girls you've been until now." Kiké suddenly felt herself being pulled against her mother's chest and this time the Mantrinesse who gave birth to her was crying herself. "Please understand, with this fighting going on lately, we're so afraid to lose you. I don't wanna lose my daughters. You two mean everything to me and your father."

They both cried for a moment, mother and daughter. Kiké was glad that her mother finally understood but she herself understood too. She didn't want to admit it but Jeth had been right about one thing. Her mother loved her and her sister very much and was so afraid to lose them, yet she had used her anger to cover it up. A moment later her father came in, wrapping his arms around the both of them. And even Naea, the last person of the family still missing sat down at her sister's other side. Letting go of her mom, she felt her sister flinging an arm around her neck.

"Hey are you okay?"

She added a lick on her cheek, after which her younger sister laughed.

"Thank you so much. Does this mean that I can go back?"

Her mother sighed but nodded faintly.

"You may go. But be careful. You're still so young. You've got your whole life ahead of you."

"Don't worry mom and dad. I can take care of my own, really."

"We know you do." Her dad gave her a light rub between her ears. They all cocked their ears when they picked up a sudden sound. It was like a whistle, an object moving through the air at great speed. When it became louder they all looked at each other, fearing the worst. "Get down!" her father yelled, pulling her down with him to the ground, using his own body to protect his daughters and mate.

The whistling sound removed itself from their position and a couple of seconds later there was an explosion that shook the house on its foundation. Crawling over the ground from under her dad, Kiké tried to get to the window and what she saw was hard to describe in her state of shock. Somewhere near the center of the city, thick clouds of black smoke swirled into the sky. She could see it clearly from this distance but it seemed like some of the buildings had caught fire. Three fighters, obviously not from her race flew low over the city at high speed, made a tight turn over the crash area and disappeared into the distance. Her ears picked up the screaming of people, the sound of sirens from the emergency vehicles flying over the city and the sound of her own pair of hearts beating in her throat. Her mother stood behind her, covering her muzzle with her hand, her father next to her with an arm over her shoulder.

"By Kirliya, it has started."

"What? When?"

"There's been an attack on Earth."

The moment he received the message from his Captain, Cale had come to the Valkyrie's bridge as soon as possible. Kendra had offered them quarters aboard the _Spirit of the Way _but Korso had politely refused. The crew was off duty as the ship was standing on the landing deck of the Illuminate starship, safe from any harm, unexposed to hostile space.

"When did this happen?"

"I received the transmission just a moment ago. Apparently no one was injured but a Seraphim Commander has made a successful landing on the planet surface. Coalition forces are trying to keep things under control."

"Damn it!"

Hitting the railing on the upper deck got him little more than an aching hand. As if things weren't bad enough as they were. First Sogowa, now Earth. _How many more worlds were on the list? _

"Cale, I told you before. Relax! Everything's under control."

_Relax? _How could he say things at a time like this? Was this man still Joe Korso? Didn't he care that humanity's home had just been attacked by the most powerful hostile force in the galaxy and beyond?

"How can you even say that?" he snapped. "And don't tell me I need to calm down." His Captain crossed his arms and frowned, looking at his Lieutenant and close friend with a look that made Cale hesitate for a moment. But his anger eventually got the upper hand. Something had to be done. "We gotta get back."

"To do what exactly?" Korso's voice sounded a bit harsh but he understood the young man's frustration. Knowing that your homeworld is in jeopardy while being lightyears away was frustrating but even if they had been orbiting New Earth at this moment there was little they could do. The Seraphim were using the same tactic as on Sogowa. Quick deployment under the cover of a powerful jamming array to prevent being taken out from space. Someone had to confront them directly in battle and take out the Seraphim Commander. They had to beat them in their own game. "Cale, there's nothing we can do. The Coalition will handle it. In the mean time your wife is risking her life to save another world. It might be best to keep this information from her for a little while."

Cale sighed, knowing that his Captain was right. If they told Akima about what happened she might not be able to concentrate on what she was doing. And that could be dangerous, for her and for those she was protecting.

"Okay I get it."

The look on Korso's face softened up a bit.

"C'mon there's something I wanna show you." He led Cale to Brian's console and brought up a menu. "Kendra provided us with a handy feature. Gune's been working on as we had some issues with the reception but it should work now."

Cale watched as Korso established a direct video uplink with what appeared to be an ACU! A moment later they saw what the ACU and its pilot were seeing at that very moment. Cale was even more surprised when he found out that this particular ACU turned out to be Akima's.

"You're not serious" he exclaimed. "Akima? Akima are you there?"

"She can't hear you Cale. All part of the safety. She mustn't be disturbed at this moment. This requires all her concentration."

At least he knew she was all right. He could follow her every move from up here and she wouldn't even know about it.

"Now what the hell was that all about?" Kendra's voice shouted over the com.

"One of them got through. We've taken it down ma'am."

"There's a city behind those mountains! Now strengthen up those defenses. Get some more AA up before they attack again. We can't let them get through, not a single one. There're people living out there." Moving her ACU toward Commander Faulkner's base Akima tried to repeat everything she'd learned in the past few days. She was the top student in Kendra's class and therefore she'd decided to bring Akima down with her to the planet. She had learned so much on such short notice. Commander Faulkner was one of the few UEF Commanders that had traveled aboard Kendra's ship to Sogowa Prime. He had more than enough experience but he was supported by two Illuminate Crusaders. Akima's mission was simple for now: Supporting Commander Faulkner and eventually relieve him for four hours while another Commander prepped for battle. Kendra had decided that would be enough for now. After all, she still had to do battle training with Cybran and Illuminate tech as well. "All right Tucker, you think you can handle yourself for a few hours?"

"No problem Commander."

Kendra let out a laugh.

"Don't get too comfortable. Commander Faulkner will be your Commanding officer while I'm away. I'm gonna grab a transport and set up some defenses near another city. Good luck. Natal out."

After Kendra's face had disappeared from the screen, another one showed up. Commander Faulkner was a middle-aged man with black hair, a face that was still young for his age and dark eyes that were near black. He grinned, showing two rows of sparkling white teeth.

"You must be Tucker. Didn't expect a beauty like that but let's see if you've got more than just good looks."

"You don't have to flatter me. I'm merely following orders."

Faulkner whistled, slightly amused by her reaction.

"And a tough one too. What did Commander Natal tell you about me?"

"Nothing. But I know what you're trying to do. Please stop."

She added a laugh to show him that she didn't mean it in an unfriendly way. He smiled back at her and shook his head.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist trying with a woman like you. But enough small talk. You get a couple more AA's up. I'm gonna kick some Seraphim ass."

_Gotta do what needs to be done. _Loading the schematic for the Tech 3 Flayer SAM Launcher into her engineering suite she began to mark spots for the installations. Someone already made the mistake to put too few anti-air defenses in place and the civilians living in the city behind their lines paid the price. And that was only a scouting party. The real fight hadn't even started yet.

Walking back to the shuttle from their most recent visit to a tribe of Gouregs, Kero realized it was time for the most difficult visit of all. So far the tribes had been willing to listen to what he had to say, after the language problem had been solved by the universal translator. Back with the Trunali the children had mentally translated his words to make them understandable to the Chief but they had to manage themselves for the rest of the day. They had taken the shuttle with them as Galen and the children would be picked up as soon as they sent a call to the palace. The tribe they had just visited was Kero's race and they were fishermen, living from the food the nearby bay had to offer. They caught fish with the skilled use of a spear and after she'd seen them eat, Stith was glad Ayi'kutan had invited them for the afternoon meal.

"I'm sure glad we'd already eaten. I can't believe they eat raw fish."

"Well, that's just the way they live. It was kind of them to offer us their food."

Stith snorted, wishing it wasn't so damn hot. The people of the forest had adapted to the local climate and wore clothes that didn't cover much of their bodies and were very cool to wear. Kero seemed to enjoy their little trip and she was intrigued too but giving it a thought, she had already decided that she couldn't give up the comfort modern technology had to offer.

"Well, they sure got mean breath. I couldn't quite get used to the fishy smell whenever one of them started talking to me in that weird language."

Kero laughed, admitting that she was right.

"What did you expect? They don't have toothbrushes out here."

Stith shrugged.

"The Trunali didn't seem to have that problem, but hey, their food was dead when they ate it."

Kero shook his head, his flappy ears shaking with it. Reaching between them to scratch he began to figure about the last part of their trip. They would take the shuttle back to the city and from there take a small submarine down to the bottom of Sogowa's oceans. He had no idea where to start searching for the aquatic siblings of his race but maybe he could talk to someone at the spaceport.

"Hmm, I hope this will work out."

Ta'keth's spaceport wasn't as busy as usual. That wasn't really a surprise as the planet was now a warzone and the first signs of that were already visible. They were both shocked when they'd noticed the column of black smoke rising up from the center of the city. But despite that, Kero had decided to put the shuttle down on the spaceport directly. More lives than just those in Ta'keth were at stake. According to the humans, the enemy had a powerful naval force too. The small submersible craft they would take was a streamlined shuttle modified for underwater travel. Its hull had been reinforced to be able to withstand the pressure of the water at great depths. They had a way to get there but just like Kero had more or less suspected, no one at the spaceport had any contact with this special race of Mantrin. One individual, an old Sogowan male told him that he had seen one of them once, long ago. The only thing he could tell was that they were excellent swimmers, lighting fast in the water and fierce defenders of their homes. That could prove to be a slight problem as communication under water would be difficult. They _did _escape from Mantra with their own ships but no one had any idea if they still relied on their advanced technology or not. It was a risk he had to take if he wanted to warn them.

"Oh c'mon Kero, where's your sense of adventure?"

"That's not it Stith."

They boarded the shuttle via a hatch in the back. It was a little cramped inside. Extra struts were placed along the bulkheads to support the heavily reinforced hull so there wasn't much room for more than two members of their species and their backpacks. Tossing her bag in a corner of the small area in the back, Stith took her place into the co-pilot's seat.

"This is important. I do wanna warn these people so that they can at least stand a change."

"That's the spirit."

She laughed, leaning back in the chair with her hands supporting her head.

"Better it would be if they stayed with us for a while but I'm pretty sure that they will never leave their cities. They will never let it be destroyed." Powering up the small ship, Kero closed the back hatch and made sure the integrity of the hull was at full strength. The last thing they wanted was a breach at depths that would crush a Mantrin to the size of a peanut. He smiled at Stith, who grinned back at him. "Ready?"

"What are you even waiting for?" Taking the shuttle up to a safe height he hit the thrusters. The acceleration pressed them back in their seats when the shuttle made its way past the old city gates and toward the big ocean behind those. Bringing the nose down a little, he leveled out with the shimmering water surface, creating a huge wake behind the shuttle. Of course they couldn't see it from the cockpit while Kero was looking for spot deep enough to dive. Bringing its speed down a little, he flashed Stith a grin and suddenly brought the nose down. His mate grabbed hold of the top bulkhead when she realized what was going on, unprepared for the dive. The clear blue sky disappeared and for a moment a thick cushion of bubbles flowed over the cockpit window. When they disappeared there was nothing but a vast blue ocean around them. Activating the main forward headlights, which scared a couple of fish away Kero deactivated the primary engines and switched to a small jet propulsion system used for underwater travel. Stith shot him a dangerous look. "You really had to do that, did you?" He chuckled.

She punched him on his shoulder with her fist.

"Ah, hey! I have to concentrate on steering."

"Hmph, serves you right."

The ocean around them was large and far from empty. Kero frequently had to steer clear of schools of colorful fish and when they'd reached the bottom he had to maneuver through rock formations in the strangest of shapes. The coral reefs, home to many water dwelling creatures towered around them, showing off their beauty to anyone who dared to come down to this depth.

"Two-thousand feet. I don't think you wanna go outside right now."

"Do you have any idea where they are?" Stith asked, getting a little bored.

They'd been searching for some time and still seen no sign of the Aquatics. She'd seen enough fish and rocks.

"Our sensors are somewhat limited but they should be able to pick up larger life forms as soon as they're in range."

_Great. _In other words they were looking for a needle in a haystack. It could take hours. Crossing her arms, she kept staring into the vastness of the ocean, like she'd done for some time now. She had the feeling they were getting nowhere but this trip had given her some time to think. A war was being fought out there and she had heard from Zahn that Kendra was recruiting. Apparently he had talked with her about his own warriors fighting alongside her in this war. Akima was doing the very thing at this moment. She had trained like she'd never trained for anything before and for what? To save this world. To fight for her people. _To fight for my people._ She suddenly felt the urge to fight beside Akima, to support her and to be there for her as a friend and a fellow soldier. _I'm gonna do this._

"Wait, I think I've got something. Can you check those readings for me?"

Doing as her mate told her, she checked the scanner.

"Definitely something large. Can't tell if it's a life form. Do you suppose they have ships or something?"

"Not sure. We're not that deep anymore though. We could be close. I-"

"Watch out!" Battling with the controls, to get out of the way of whatever it was, Kero knew he couldn't fully evade the monster. It was definitely a predator and a fast one too, with a long sweeping tail that hit the hull on starboard. The powerful blow rocked the ship violently, tossing it against a nearby wall of rock. The lights flickered for a moment. When Stith realized what was going on her ears picked up the trickling of water in the back. Craning her head, she saw it leaking along the walls. If this continued on it would fill the cabin at a steady pace.

"Kero! Kero we've got a breach!"

Her mate groaned softly, supporting his aching head with one hand.

"Ah, my head."

Looking out the window he instantly remembered where they were and read the shock on his mate's face when he looked at her.

"Kero, we gotta get outta here!"

In the mean time the ship had hit the bottom. Shaking his head, he pushed buttons and tried the controls but without effect.

"The engines are not responding. I can't get us outta here."

In the mean time Stith could feel the cold water touching her feet. The cockpit offered little room to pull up her legs, yet she did as the water was quite cold.

"Damn it!"

She cursed and looked outside trying to spot their attacker but when she did, her eyes caught a spectacle unknown to her. The people they'd been looking for were outside. They were Mantrins, yet they were unlike any Mantrin she'd ever seen. The same characteristic triple-jointed legs but they appeared more flexible, rendering them capable of moving with great speed and agility under water. They had a scaled skin in a variety of different colors of blue. And just like their air breathing counterparts, they had bird-like beaks and large ears, capable of picking up the low frequency sounds which most underwater creatures used for communication. The big predator that had attacked them was their prey and vice versa. Every Aquatic was armed with some sort of harpoon launcher and they were circling around their prey, trying to launch the sharp hooks through its thick skin into the flesh underneath. This was tricky as it was hard to find a soft spot but one of the Aquatics seemed to have done the trick. He or she was holding on to the launcher while being pulled by the cable. The animal tried to get rid of him or her, moving frantically, shaking its powerful body to get the hook –which caused a lot of pain- out of its flesh.

"Well, he sure's brave" Stith remarked.

"Or she" Kero added.

The console in front of him sparked and flickered and then died out. The water had short-circuited all internal systems and now they wouldn't be able to get anywhere. The headlights were still on as this was a separate system but unless they did something to attract the attention of those out there it was going to be a cold swim, if the pressure didn't kill them first.

"Hey! You out there!" Stith yelled at the top of her lungs, banging on the window.

"I'm not sure if they can hear you."

"How deep do you think we are?"

"Deep trouble."

"Haha, very funny Kero."

"I'm not sure. Not too deep I guess as they don't seem to have trouble with it. But then again, they've adapted to this environment." The sound of protesting metal in the back became louder and water began to pour in at a faster rate. "The manual release should work. We'll have to wait until the shuttle's full of water but then we should be able to get out." Walking toward the back he grabbed the two emergency breather masks from the compartment and handed one of them to Stith. These things only had air for about ten minutes but he figured it should be enough to reach the surface. Stith was still banging on the window. She wasn't exactly looking forward to a cold swim and growled in frustration. In the mean time the water was getting higher and higher. It was already standing up to Kero's lower pair of knees and steadily rising. Checking the manual release, Kero found out that it was jammed. Hitting his fist against the bulkhead, he growled. "Damn, it's jammed! I can't get it open."

Walking back to the cockpit, he tried his mask while Stith tried hers. At least they wouldn't be without oxygen, but with no way out that would only last for ten minutes. The aquatic Mantrins were still out there, battling with the large predator. Until one of them suddenly appeared in front of the window. His scaled skin was partially reflecting the shine of the headlights. Placing his clawed hands with the webs between the fingers on the window, he took a look inside with his bright colored eyes. At least he seemed to understand their situation but apparently something else had attracted his attention as he swum away, using his powerful tail to gain a quick burst of speed. A row of thin fins ran from the top of his head all the way down to the tip of his tail.

"Don't go!" Stith yelled, beating against the window.

But instead of swimming away, he turned around and removed the harpoon launcher from his back. Aiming the weapon at the cockpit window, Stith and Kero suddenly realized what he was trying to do.

"No wait!" Kero yelled in vain.

If he shot the window now, the pressure would push the water in like a wall of concrete. It could kill them. But it was too late to warn their underwater friend. The Mantrin squeezed the trigger and the harpoon left the launcher at an astonishing speed, covering the distance to the transparent barrier in a fraction of a second. As soon as Kero realized what he was up to, he had grabbed Stith's arm and dragged her toward the back. When the window shattered, he put his back in front of the wall of water blasting into the small cabin and used his own body to cover Stith. Using his massive arms for support against the bulkhead he felt the enormous pressure that almost knocked him out. When the ship was full of water, he felt dizzy and disoriented, the pressure on his ears like torture. Feeling the last bit of consciousness slip away, he grabbed Stith, who was floating between his arms. At least she seemed all right; there was no blood in the water around him but she was knocked out by the blast. Dragging her with him he tried to get out of the ship, kicking with his legs, waving with his arms, feeling them get heavier and heavier. Dark shadows moved in on him. They grabbed him, dragged him out but before he could discover where they were taking him and Stith, it went black in front of his eyes.

Kero had the feeling someone had used his head for martial arts training, not to mention his ears when he woke up. Groaning in pain, he pushed himself up from the floor, knowing that someone had saved them. He could at least breathe and the pain was a reminder that he was still inside his own living body. But where was he? Opening his eyes a little, peeking through two narrow slits, he was in the strangest room he'd ever seen. However, the thought of Stith flashed through his mind and drove everything to the background. Did she make it? Shaking his head, which was a mistake as it increased the pain in his head -but it did shook him awake- he called her name, hoping for a reply. When it didn't come his hearts began to beat faster.

"Stith!" He opened his eyes and there she was, lying on the ground next to him on her belly, her eyes closed, and most likely unconscious. "By Kirliya, Stith are you all right?" He was awake immediately, trying to ignore the pain in his head and his sore muscles and crawled toward her on his knees. Rolling his motionless mate on her back, he carefully tried to shake her awake. "Stith please wake up. C'mon!"

Shaking her up roughly, she eventually coughed violently, spitting a lot of salty seawater in his face. Helping her to sit upright she growled and shook her head, spitting on the ground. Wiping off her beak, she looked around her.

"What the hell is this place?"

She seemed agitated and was suffering from the same headache as he was.

"I don't know. We could be in one of their cities." The walls were transparent, like they were made of water themselves. Huge windows inside a thin non-transparent frame. At least they did their jobs, otherwise they wouldn't be talking to each other like they did now. Scrambling to his feet, almost losing his balance in the process Kero did a few steps toward the barrier. "This looks strange" he muttered. The surface of the windows almost looked like a liquid. Carefully stretching out his hand, he touched the barrier but when he did, his hand met resistance for only a short moment and then it sank through the barrier. Quickly pulling his hand back, he did a step backwards when a splash of water gulfed through the barrier before it closed itself. "This is weird."

He looked at Stith, who was back on her feet as well. Supporting her head she let out a long groan which ended in a growl.

"Really?"

He acted as if he didn't hear the sarcasm in her voice. They were inside a small bubble of oxygen, a couple of hundred feet under the surface, separated from the outside pressure by fluid walls. The room was remarkably light, yet he couldn't determine where it was coming from. He had never heard of anything like it. He sure wished he did a few more steps away from the transparent barrier. He couldn't hear them coming but the huge splashes of water announced their arrival as four aquatic Mantrins swum through the wall and landed on their feet with a couple of heavy thumps. They were armed with mean looking spears and had several other weapons and tools in the belts around their waist and legs. They didn't wear any clothing as they didn't need any but they wore necklaces and bracelets with the vicious looking teeth of killed prey around their necks and wrists. They were definitely children of Kirliya, yet they were so different from any other Mantrin. About roughly the same size as a Sogowan yet one of them was significantly larger and much more muscular. His skin was of a different color too as were the fins on his back.

"_Maybe they have races too just like us" _Kero thought, feeling a little intimidated by their size and threatening display. The fins running over their backs ran all the way up to the top of their heads and had a different color than their overall bluish skin. One of the Aquatics stepped out of his group, tapped with the underside of his spear on the floor and made a weird squealing sound with his throat, the gills in his neck opening and closing. At least Kero assumed it was a 'he', as he didn't seem female. Trying to be careful what he said, Kero began to speak. "Greetings. My name is Kero and this is my mate Stith. We come in peace. There's something we need to tell you."

The Mantrin stopped making the noise that did little more than make their headache worse and narrowed his eyes to slits. Kero abruptly kept his mouth shut, fearing he had insulted them somehow. But instead of piercing them with his spear, the Mantrin walked to one of the transparent panels that made up the windows and made a few short rapid squeals. To the surprise of them both, the panel turned into liquid and splashed on the floor, like it hadn't been there in the first place. Behind it was a corridor, possibly leading to other parts of the complex. The group split itself into two parts. The Mantrin that had opened up the way signaled them to follow him and his friend, while the remaining two including the larger one, made sure they did. Following the lead two, Kero expected to feel one of the nasty looking spears in his back at any moment but it didn't happen. Not daring to make a sound he merely exchanged looks with Stith, who clearly didn't like being treated this way. Lashing her tail, she grumbled softly as if she were blaming him for the situation they were in right now. Several other tubes and chambers connected to the one they were walking through and it slowly became wider. Outside, aquatic Mantrins swum around like it was the most common thing in the world, which it was for these people. Stith and Kero both held their breath when they reached the end of the tunnel.

They found themselves standing in the largest dome they'd ever seen, completely underwater but the distance between the top of the dome and the surface couldn't be very large. There were many platforms and lots of chambers filled with water and interconnected by tubes were attached to the walls. There was lots of open space though and it was filled with Aquatics; males, females and children. This was the city center, a large hub to which the rest of the complex was connected. Kero couldn't believe that there were many others like these spread across the bottom of Sogowa's ocean. The place was huge and had everything a city above the surface had, including something that looked like a marketplace on one of the higher platforms. And the most beautiful thing was that everything was transparent. A series of splashes attracted his attention and when he looked up at one of the platforms above him, a mother and father and a small group of children jumped through one of the fluidic walls into the ocean around the dome.

"I-I can't believe my eyes."

"I can't believe this is real" Stith added.

They were looking around them, their beaks falling open in amazement. Kero didn't even realize he was standing still until he felt a push in the back from the larger Aquatic.

"All right, all right, I'm walking" he said when he saw the look on the guy's face. "Talk about being rude" he grumbled, taking Stith with him.

They lead them to one of the water filled chambers on the higher platforms via stairs. They didn't have elevators but something that was perhaps far more efficient. It was a system basically composed of two vertical tubes filled with water that moved up in one and down in the other. The rest was fairly simple. You stepped inside the tube, through a fluidic wall, moved up or down with the stream and exited the tube on the desired level. It was fascinating to watch and several people could use one tube at the same time. When they'd reached the platform one of the Mantrins entered the water filled chamber. In the mean time they waited. They could see him talking to someone, perhaps their leader. He was quite large and his outfit was different from the others. Both Stith and Kero had seen the smaller Mantrin making a slight bow and when he did it again, the other Mantrin stepped towards them. But instead of splashing through the barrier, he remained standing at a couple of centimeters before it. He was almost as large as Zahn and his eyes were a bright shade of yellow, capable of a piercing look. Since they'd lost the UT, Kero feared that the language problem would be too great to conquer but instead the Aquatic ruler began to speak in his language though their translator almost made it sound like singing to them.

"Greetings whoever you are and welcome to our city. Its name and mine cannot be pronounced in your silly language but for now the only thing you should know is that I am the ruler of this city. Explain it to me. Why have you come to us?"


	36. Chapter 33 The Fight Has Just Begun

**The Fight Has Just Begun**

"Ah, careful! Careful please!"

Akima sucked in her breath between her teeth while Gune did his best to be a doctor. A few moments ago, she was on the surface of Sogowa, trying to hold of wave after wave of armor, fighting for her friend's people. Now she was staring at the ceiling of the _Valkyrie_'s med bay, with blood running down her face in small trickles. She was mad. Mad at herself for the most part, for letting her enemy force her into a corner like they did. And for letting that Faulkner be the one to help her out. At least he hadn't laughed at her but she was still mad. It all happened so damn fast.

"Is she gonna be all right Gune?"

That was the voice of Cale. She had seen the expression on his face. He was both angry and worried at the same time. "Girl will be fine. Gune will repair the damage. He will fix Akima right up, don't worry."

She still managed to chuckle.

"Gune, you make it sound like I'm a machine." Peeking through a tiny slit, she saw the alien's big turtle-like face hovering above her while he performed his work, the tip of his tongue out of his mouth. She had hit her head pretty hard and a concussion was inevitable. Gune told her she had a micro fracture in her skull, not very serious but he had to fix it. "I'll be fine Cale. This won't take long."

"Damn it!" She heard Cale venting his anger on the bulkhead. "I never should've agreed to let you go through with this! I never should!"

He cursed and stamped his foot on the deck.

"Cale, I heard that" she warned him.

"I'm sorry. I just… I just can't look at you, being hurt like that. I've got the feeling that it's all my fault."

Korso was with them in the room too. She heard him sigh.

"Cale, it might be best if-"

"And you need to shut up!"

"Cale!" The tone of Korso's voice had changed. No matter what happened, he was still the Captain and his friend and Lieutenant was about to step over the line. "Cale, I know you're worried about her and I know you're blaming me but you're outta line."

"Cale please" she tried to calm him down. "This is war. Things like this could happen. And they will happen again."

"Yeah, thanks for reminding me" he grumbled. The sound of his footsteps moved closer to her and she felt him taking her hand in his. She carefully opened her eyes and directly stared into his. They were full of worries and she instantly wished she could make them go away. "What happened down there?"

She groaned, squeezing her eyes shut, while Gune finished up on the wound on her head.

"I dunno. One moment I was holding them off. There were many but my defenses were up. And then suddenly they dropped a load of bombs, shells started raining down and then they were all over me, trying to surround me like a pack of wolves." She swallowed and bit her teeth. "Sometimes it is almost as if these things can think for themselves, but… that's not really possible right? They're just machines, are they?"

It was Korso who replied.

"Well they are controlled by a sentient being, just like your machines. And this tech has some limited artificial intelligence."

Akima breathed a sigh and groaned once more. She wished she could just forget about what happened and return to the battlefield. But according to Gune, it was better for her to rest for a day or two before even thinking about fighting again.

"Kendra's gonna kill me. I screwed up! I let them surround me!"

"And you fought back" the voice of Kendra Natal bellowed through the bay.

She stepped in without her long garments covering her slim figure and with her battle suit still on. Her intense blue eyes pierced right into hers, making her instinctively look the other way. She didn't want to face Kendra like this, with a layer of defeat covering her confidence.

"C'mon, let her rest, she's been through enough for one day" Cale objected. "And for the rest of her life as far as I'm concerned."

"It's okay Cale."

Her husband did a few steps back, partially because Kendra's eyes flashed into his direction for a moment.

"Akima! Keep it still" Gune squawked. "Gune needs to finish."

"Sorry Gune." She sighed. "I'm sorry. I messed up."

"Technically speaking, you did."There was some amusement in Kendra voice when she spoke but it wasn't reflected in her face, which was nearly expressionless. She stepped toward her best recruit, the corners of her mouth curving into a faint smile. "At least I know what kinda Commander you are. You're a fighter, not a runner. We've got no need for runners right now. I've been keeping an eye on you all the time. I've seen your fight."

She smirked when she saw the look on her recruit's face.

"You don't trust me."

"Trust has nothing to do with it." She crossed her arms and tapped with her foot on the deck. "What you've demonstrated so far usually requires months of training, but unfortunately we don't have that much time."

"Gune's finished but Akima needs rest."

The alien put away the things he had used to heal her wounds and left. Kendra turned toward Korso.

"Can I expect her to be back on her feet by tomorrow?"

"You can't be serious!" Cale exclaimed.

"I'm sorry I have to ask this from you, but I need your help."

Akima groaned softly, trying to ignore the disappearing pain in her head when she nodded. At least that painkiller Gune gave her seemed to do its job.

"I'll try."

"No battlefield for you tomorrow. We've got a couple of guys from down below who're ready to show off their skills. If they really are the warriors they claim to be, we're gonna find out tomorrow. I want your help with training them. In the mean time you can resume your own training as well."

"You sure about that Akima?" Korso asked.

He was her Captain. She knew he could order her to stay aboard, but she was glad he left the choice with her.

"If that headache's gone, I'll report to you at 0800 hours."

Kendra gave her a quick nod.

"Rest Tucker, try to get your spirit back. You did well for your first time."

She left swiftly but gracefully and Cale was unable to restrain himself.

"Who does she think she is? She can't expect this from you."

"Cale, I said it was okay."

He approached her, placing a tender hand on her head.

"I don't wanna see you get hurt."

She grabbed his hand and placed a soft kiss on his fingers. She knew he cared deeply for her. But she had to do this. For a friend in need and for an entire race. Cale turned his eyes down and she instantly knew something was bothering him, something she was going to find out.

"Cale what's wrong?"

"You think we should tell her?"

Korso responded with a shrug.

"Your call."

Cale sighed, the expression on his face turning serious. He remained silent for a moment and she knew he was deciding whether to tell her about what was bothering him or not. But he was not going to keep this from her. It was important and now she knew he was hiding something.

"Cale."

"All right, I eh… I didn't want to upset you by telling you this right now but…"

"But what?"

Something wasn't right, she could feel it. She could read his face like an open book. She had already prepared herself for what he was about to tell.

"The Seraphim, they eh, they've attacked Earth."

She stared back at him, without actually looking. Her eyes were simply locked in this position and refused to obey her. She went completely silent but deep inside her she cursed. She cursed this race, these beings that killed others just because they felt so superior. In some way they were no better than the Drej. Asking her grandmother for forgiveness she didn't even feel the tear that rolled down her cheek, until Cale caught it with his finger.

"Why us?" she asked, while Cale's arms enclosed her in a hug. She was angry, sad, tired and sick of all this stuff happening lately. _Why can't they leave us alone for a moment? _When she asked the question aloud, no one had an answer. Going back wouldn't do any good. She could make a difference here and that she was going to do. Back on Earth was the Coalition; doing everything they could to protect Earth. Here on Sogowa she was one of few who could try to do the same for this world. She had made a promise to herself and she was going to keep it no matter what.

The next day she got up early, glad that her headache was gone. After a last quick checkup with Gune, who still had his concerns, she left the _Valkyrie_ and headed for the training hall aboard the _Spirit of the Way_. Kendra was expecting her as they would do the evaluation together. Making choices would be difficult as all Mantrins were natural born warriors and she was convinced that neither one of them came here just to be rejected. But Kendra only had a few spots available. Only a few would receive the honor of fighting alongside their human allies for the survival of their race.

When she arrived in the training hall, several of the simulators were active. The hall was best described as a warrior temple, a place where the warriors of Kendra's people embraced _The Way_ before entering a battle. It was substantially different from the training hall aboard the _Strength of the Coalition_ apart from the fact that it was smaller. The simulators where placed in four groups of six in the middle of the room that was round in shape. She had made several training hours here already and she felt ready as ever to do it again. Kendra was sitting behind a desk right before the entrance with one Crusader at her side. The other chair was reserved for her.

"Good morning Akima. I hope you slept well cause today is gonna be a long one."

She took her place on the Commander's left.

"Any news from the surface?"

Kendra didn't look up but scrolled through a holographic list of names on a virtual panel in front of her.

"Nothing good, nothing bad" she replied curtly. "A few hours ago one of my Commanders launched a successful attack on a small base near one of their larger cities. But they've hit back hard. Been trying to rebuild it ever since. But we're wasting time. I wanna get these rookies up to speed as soon as possible." After finding what she was looking for, she gave the man next to her a quick nod. "All right, let the first one in." He tapped a button on a holographic panel on his right. When the doors slit open, a Mantrin of considerable size stepped in and assumed a threatening position in front of them, his tail lashing back and forth. Akima recognized him as a member of the same race as her friend though he was larger and more muscular. The battlefield had been his home for some time, judging by the scars on his face. That and the EAF uniform he wore made him a good first candidate. "Good… morning" Kendra said slowly, unable to hide her astonishment. The warrior grumbled and tapped with his massive clawed foot on the deck. "Okay, let me see your record. Hmm, seven years in the Elite Assault Force. Fought in the battle of Eshtara Prime, the Kellari conflict and several others. Earned several distinctions for acts of bravery." She looked up at him and smirked. "I take it you're not afraid to risk your life?"

Glaring down his muzzle, he snorted and put a huge clawed hand on the table with a bang.

"My people are not afraid of anything, human."

There was a hint of indignancy in his heavy voice. Akima figured that she should have warned Kendra never to question a Mantrin's courage or insult their honor. Kendra however stared back at him without flinching and marked his name on the list with a swift tap.

"You're the first on my list" she said in an exaggeratedly gentle way.

The Mantrin turned his back on them and left with an aggressive whip of his tail.

"He wasn't a bad first candidate" Akima remarked.

"Piloting an ACU is something different than fighting with your bare hands" Kendra simply replied. It didn't really matter how much experience these guys had. They were experienced in fighting the wrong kind of battles. Those with vehicle piloting experience had her preference but yet again, the Armored Command Unit was so much more than a simple battle vehicle. It was the vital instrument to fighting this war and those who mastered it, had unrivaled power. "Okay, next!" The next Mantrin that entered was even bigger than the previous one. He was a mixture of two races, one of them being Goureg which explained his enormous height. Greeting them, he seemed less pugnacious than the other guy. Kendra gave her recruit a nudge. "If they're all this size, we're gonna have a serious problem" she whispered, gesturing at the simulators with a tug of her head. "How are they ever gonna fit inside these things, let alone a real ACU?" That was a problem they still had to solve. Their legs were the main issue here. It seemed that making a couple of modifications to the cockpit was inevitable if they wanted to train a couple of Mantrin recruits. "All right, we'll let you know if you're in. Send in the next one."

The list was quite long. Almost as long as the list of signups of the Republic but Akima knew that practically every Mantrin old enough to hold a weapon would love to fight. But unfortunately they only had six definite places for new recruits. That was the absolutely maximum if they counted in the other group. Her friend Lynn was in training with the two other humans Gardner and McNeill and the two aliens in the simulators behind her. Some of them, including Lynn had fought their first real battle on the surface too. It went well so far though Akima had seen the most action. Today she would help Kendra train the Mantrin rookies as soon as they were picked, tomorrow she was scheduled to join Coalition forces on the surface for eight hours straight and help them build a strong naval base near one of the cities. It was going to be tough as the Seraphim had already established a naval presence of themselves. Imperial forces would join the effort as well and function as a bridge between their people and the humans. They would be protecting a very special race of Mantrin that lived in the oceans as well. Stith told her about it when she came back from her mission yesterday. The meeting was a little rough but it was a success. It would be the first joint effort between the Aquatics and the land dwelling Mantrins since ages.

"How many more?"

After a while she'd lost count of how many faces she'd seen entering.

"Just a few. Next."

Looking at the panel, projected in front of Kendra she noticed she'd already began to narrow down their list of recruits with help of the computer. It was a tough job and difficult but Kendra wanted to get this thing started as soon as possible. Because she was looking at the panel, she hadn't been paying attention to the next candidate until she was standing in front of the table.

"Hi" she said nonchalantly, crossing her arms.

"Stith, what are you doing here?" she brought out, after several seconds of total astonishment.

"Well, that shouldn't be hard to guess."

Akima looked at Kendra for a second, as if she could help her with this dilemma. Her friend was a warrior and she could understand her will to fight for her world. But she was a mother of two children now. What if something happened to her? It would condemn her children to a life without their mother.

"C-Can I talk to you for a second?"

Stith flattened an ear.

"I know you're gonna try and talk this outta my head Akima. But I'm gonna do this."

"Kendra?"

Her superior shrugged, without looking up from the panel, already looking at the file of the next candidate.

"Fine with me. Next."

Akima stood up, shaking her head. Stith began walking to the other side of the room but Akima quickly caught up with her. The Mantrin didn't fail to notice the agitation in her human friend's voice when she spoke.

"What're you doing? I thought you were happy with your life. I thought you were going to quit fighting."

"Hey, I never said that."

Her friend halted near one of the inactive simulators and leaned with her back against the machine. Staring in her eyes she could read her thoughts. She was against this, strongly, but the blazing fire of the warrior inside of her couldn't be put out so easily. Her world was in danger and that meant her children were in danger too. She could help to put a stop to it. Akima shook her head and sighed.

"Things are different now. You've become a mother of two children and being a mother means you have to make some sacrifices. You don't want your children to grow up without their mother, do you?"

"A little confidence in me please" she grumbled. "I agree with you. I'm a mother now but I'm also a warrior. Who says I can't be both? I've got no desire to die."

"It think you being here says otherwise. There's always a risk involved Stith. I've found that out for myself yesterday."

"I know, but I wanna fight, for my children's future. They have the right to grow up in a peaceful environment."

She turned her back toward her and began walking back to Kendra, but Akima wasn't done yet and caught up with her.

"As your friend I urge you to reconsider. Please, don't do this to your children. Don't make the same mistake your mother made when she left you!"

It didn't take her long to realize that she made a mistake. Her last words had nailed her friend to her spot on the floor. She was a little shocked by her own outburst. Stith turned around with a tug, her claws scratching over the deck. Stith had never been angry with her but it seemed that this was going to be the first time.

"What did you say?"

Both her ears lowered, one slightly lower than the other. Her voice had changed tone and it was clear that she was angry.

"I-I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that."

She turned her eyes down but her friend's were shooting fire. One hand was balled to a fist and the other furiously pointed a clawed finger at her.

"My mother did what she had to do! You have no right to talk about her like that!" She breathed heavily through her nose and pointed in the other direction. "Now, I'm gonna get over there and do this shit! And I'm gonna fight for the things I hold dear! That includes my children, my mate, my father and everyone on this planet!"

Akima was now staring at the floor, her lips sealed, fearing that she might have damaged their friendship. Why did she had to screw it all up? She knew Stith didn't want to talk about her past or her mother and she did both in an insulting way. Her voice trembled when she asked for forgiveness.

"I'm sorry. It was never my intention to insult you or your mother. Forgive me. I'm just concerned about your children's well being."

She didn't look up but heard her friend heave a sigh. The sound of her heavy footsteps closed in on her and eventually she felt the comforting weight of her hand on her shoulder. Her voice had a much softer tone. Feeling Stith hand under her chin she looked up into her eyes, glad that the anger was gone.

"I'm sorry. I guess I overreacted a little. Please, don't say such things about my mom. She did what she had to do and she did it all for me."

"I understand."

After roughly getting her shoulder rubbed they walked back together to the evaluation table.

"Whadda ya think? Do I still have a chance of getting through?"

Akima laughed.

"Oh, I'm sure you do."

"All right you mugs, you think you have the guts to pilot one of these machines?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"That remains to be seen!"

Kendra was walking along the line of Mantrin warriors in battle gear who made it into her elite group. Stith was among them too, standing at attention just like the rest. They were wearing the same suits as all the other pilots only they were adapted to their different physiology. Akima was standing behind her, ready to assist where necessary. The decision had been difficult. They were all good. Her friend had made it to the group as well, thanks to her independent fighting experience and well-developed skills. Still, there were more warriors then available spots so this training was about to become a competitive elimination race. Those who were better would eventually come out on top.

"You think being big and strong means everything? Well let me tell you, no matter how big and strong you are, the Seraphim will always find a way to crush you, unless you know what you're doing. I'm here to teach what to do, to fight back and kill them before they can kill you."

"Ma'am, are we supposed to take orders from you now?"

Kendra froze to her exact spot when the mocking comment reached her ears. _Are they gonna start being annoying already? _She walked toward the Mantrin who had spoken and stood in front of him, her hands on her hips, boldly meeting the big alien's gaze. He glared down his muzzle upon her until she signaled him to get closer. Bringing his beak down to her height she looked him directly in the eyes.

"Listen to me kangaroo boy" Kendra mocked, not caring if she was being insultive or not. "I don't have time for this crap. _We _don't have time for this crap."

"Are you calling me names now?"

"When you're aboard this ship and in my training hall you follow my orders! And my orders are your Emperor's orders! Is that clear?"

"Yes ma'am!" all but the one in front of her shouted.

"Is that clear?" she repeated herself in front of the one who challenged her authority with his insubordinate behavior.

"Yes ma'am" he grumbled in annoyance, his eyes flickering with restrained anger.

Akima, who watched from a small distance knew the warrior would've beaten the crap out of the Commander if it wasn't for the fact that Imperial Command had made Kendra their superior for the time being.

"Now listen! Your Emperor has asked me personally to train you. And I'm not going to break my promise to him. I've got one rule. Learn fast or die quick. The enemy is on your doorstep and they're unlike anything you've ever fought before. They've got a sizable force planet bound and I need more Commanders in the defense of several major population centers which are under constant attack." She smiled and looked at all of them. "I don't care who you are. You all have the same bright green color to me. But I'm gonna train you and help you drive the Seraphim back to whatever hole they've crawled out of this time. Now I just need one more question answered. Are you ready to do whatever it takes? Are you ready to give up your life for the sake of your people?"

"Yes ma'am."

"I can't hear you."

"Yes ma'am!"

"Good. Now get yourself into a simulator. Let's get this party started. I've got six free spots so it's gonna be survival of the fittest. Remember the only rule. It took some time to get everything prepared. We've had to make a few modifications to the simulators because of those funny legs of yours."

"Funny? Shall I show you what's funny?" one of larger Mantrins, a large and grouchy Goureg, growled.

"I don't even wanna hear it! Get yourself into a simulator soldier!" Eventually they all did what she said and crawled into the available simulators. Fifteen warriors had made it through the evaluation and Kendra was gonna have her hands full on these guys, Akima was convinced of that. She had to admit, she handled the first drill pretty well, considering each one of them was at least a head taller than she was and three times as muscular. Kendra walked up to her and patted her on the shoulder. "Before I forget, Akima here will assist me during these first sessions. You'll be following her orders as well as mine."

That was a lot of confidence Kendra had in her abilities. A few days ago she didn't even know what an ACU was. She didn't want to complain but this time Kendra might be putting a little too much faith in her.

"Kendra, I'm not sure about that. It's an awful lot of responsibility."

"Tucker, you've already shown that you're capable so stop whining." She looked into Kendra intense blue eyes which flickered for a moment. "C'mon, the longer we wait the bigger the problems down on the surface are gonna get."

In the mean time Stith was standing next to her simulator, one leg inside, wondering how they'd made the necessary modifications for her species' physiology so fast. She suddenly heard a voice next to her and when she looked at the owner he had sunken on one knee. The Sogowan was a tough one, the scars of battle mutilating part of his face.

"Princess, I wanted to tell you that I find it an honor to fight alongside you. May your presence make Kirliya look our way and give us the strength we need."

Stith shook her head.

"She's with us no matter what. Me fighting by your side has nothing to do with it."

"Still it's an honor."

Stith smiled.

"Get into your pod. The Commander's a tough one. Never expected that from a human."

"I still have my doubts about taking orders from humans."

"I don't wanna hear that" Stith said curtly.

"Forgive me for saying so Princess."

She didn't reply and waited for Kendra to give the signal to close the pods. Fortunately the modifications were sufficient so she had enough room for her legs. Akima had warned her. If she made it through this, a cockpit similar to this one would be her temporary home on the battlefield. It was made as comfortable as possible for the pilot but it was still the cockpit of a war machine. Those things could never be too comfortable.

"Let's do this thing" she muttered under her breath when she closed the pod, the displays in front of her lighting up.

"All right, let's cover the basics first" Kendra said over the com. After she made sure she had all her Mantrin rookies listening, she started her training with basic things like movement, controlling the interface and viewer and several extra controls that could mean the difference between victory or defeat. As expected, no one seemed to have trouble with it and Akima couldn't help but laugh at the grin on her friend's face. From the moment she tried this the first time, she knew Stith would love it. And judging by the look on her face, she was enjoying every second of it. All fifteen of them were placed on quite a distance from each other so that they had enough room to build their bases. They probably wouldn't like the complexity of the whole thing. Mantrins were warriors, not builders. They lived for the fight. She had just begun to build up a base of her own, this time using Illuminate units as she wasn't familiar with those yet, when the sound of an antimatter cannon over the com alerted her. It was followed by Kendra's voice and she was not too happy with it. "What was that?"

"I'm trying out the weapon systems" one of the Mantrins said.

"Did I tell you to fire your weapon?"

"I thought the whole point of this training was fighting the enemy that's trying to occupy our world" another soldier growled.

"Are you gonna fight off five-hundred enemy units on your own?"

"If I have to" he replied without hesitation.

Kendra smiled and put up a voice that sounded exaggeratedly gentle.

"Listen pal, if you wanna get yourself killed, that's fine with me but then you're gonna do it alone. Fight with an army or not at all. I take it that you know how to move your butts around? Then it's time to build one."

Without Kendra knowing about it, or so she hoped, Akima had set up a private connection with Stith. At least she had someone to talk to this way. The grin was still present on the Mantrin's face and so far she was doing fine just like the rest.

"This is great."

Akima laughed.

"Can you imagine my surprise when I tried this for the first time."

Now it was time to actually do something. Base building was the next lesson and while Kendra explained the core, Akima gave every warrior tips while she kept track of their progress. The key components were in place pretty quickly but not every Mantrin got used that quickly to following orders from humans. Economy first, than the factories and defenses. That was the right order though not all of them kept to that order. It made Kendra agitated and Akima was a bit disappointed that Stith was among the group that liked to do things their way. She wasn't exactly the type of person who let others tell her what to do.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Getting my defenses up" Stith said nonchalantly. "I'm trying to build an army. I thought that was the idea."

"Without resources? You have negative income, just like pretty much every single one of you."

Kendra sighed and rolled with her eyes.

"Tucker, I thought you told them to build enough generators first."

"I did Commander. But-"

"But they're all being pigheaded. All right that's it! I'm gonna reset the simulation. This is your first screw up! Better learn from it and do better next time."

Though Kendra and Akima stayed inside, all warriors were recalled and transferred back into the simulation, with all of their work being erased. Now they had to start all over again.

"What kind of stupid game is this?" one of them grumbled agitatedly. "I thought we were gonna fight and instead you're learning us how to build power generators."

"Don't question me. If you'd put those big ears of yours to work you would've had your first fight already. Now start over." Akima didn't know what to think of it. This could become a very long and tiresome day for the new recruits. At least it wouldn't be boring for her. She was already fighting off her first wave of enemies. This was a realistic battle simulation and the only thing that kept the enemy from attacking the rookies as well was Kendra's finger on a button. "Maybe we have to teach them the hard way" Kendra said to her over their private channel.

"Aren't we being a bit hard on them? They're not used to this."

"You weren't used to this either, yet you listened and _got_ used to it. They better get used to it as well or I'll send them home one by one with red glowing butts." However as the simulation progressed the urge became greater and greater. They just weren't listening. Some were doing okay but there was still a small group that stuck to their own plan. "No, no, no, you're off to an even worse start than before!"

"Stop telling me what to do! I'm doing fine!" Stith growled.

"Oh yeah? We'll see about that missy!"

The next step was the same as with the other rookies. A first attack to see if they got the hang of the whole concept and to see how well they handled themselves in battle. Akima was a little worried about Stith though. Just like some others she'd done things her way.

"I'll be fine Akima. I think I've got the hang of it now."

The attacks had started. Three warriors simultaneously and as Kendra had expected already, the ones that followed the correct build order did marginally better.

"You're out!" Kendra yelled when one of the ACU's exploded in a blinding flash of light.

The other two did better though one of them was barely standing after the fight was over. The other one growled in annoyance and had to restrain himself from smashing up the screens.

"That's unfair" he grumbled. "I fought a different set of units. They were much tougher."

"No they were not" Kendra replied, knowing she got him where she wanted.

"The enemy will always try to exploit your weaknesses. In your case your right flank and your lack of sufficient anti-air."

"I'm outta here!" the warrior shouted. "We don't need your fancy stuff! We'll fight them with our bare hands if we have to. We are warriors!"

"_That was number one" _Akima thought, as he disconnected from the system by opening his pod. It was surprisingly fast too.

"Next group!"

The fights continued, sometimes with a spectacular explosion at the end. Those who didn't make it were frustrated but were given a second chance, if they were willing to take it and follow orders to the letter. The last group was the one with Stith in it. If she could just use her confidence as a weapon she would win for sure but unfortunately she needed more than just that.

"C'mon Stith you can do it" Akima encouraged her.

_Of course I can. I'm the best. _There they were, closing in fast from the mountain pass on her left. She could feel the excitement, the adrenaline surging through her body. She was ready to respond to any situation in the blink of an eye.

"Here I am, come and get me" she muttered under her breath. Her clawed hands tightly gripped the two joysticks and with her finger on the trigger she watched them enter firing range of her defenses. Her plasma turrets and gauss cannons opened fire, spitting an almost continuous stream of bolts and projectiles at the group of tanks and bots. "Whoohoo! That's what you get from messing around with Stith!" she cheered, firing precision shots with her ACU's antimatter cannon. In all the excitement however she wasn't paying attention to her radar. Enemy bombers were inbound and she realized her mistake too late. Both her land factories exploded, taking the adjacent power generators with them. Her anti-air wasn't enough to hold them off on her own and because her economy hadn't been strong enough in the beginning she hadn't been able to build enough units. She cursed, frantically trying to hold them off with her own weapon. "What the hell is this?" she shouted at Kendra, angered by the smile she displayed.

"That is your own stubbornness firing back at you."

"Commander under attack. Alert, critical damage to left arm."

Her simulator was shaken up by all the explosions. Those bombs were killing her and the small group of gunships were now focusing their attention on the only target still standing.

"You've lost."

"Shut up, you stupid-"

Her words were lost in the explosion that marked the end of the first training for her. Stith was furious. Without thinking she opened up the simulator and climbed out, letting out a frustrated growl. To her surprise, Kendra climbed out of the simulator as well. The expression on her face was an exact copy of hers. The human's eyes flickered with anger as she firmly marched up to her. If she had to pick one word to describe her, it would probably be 'dangerous'.

"What the hell are you thinking?"

"You wanted me to lose!"

"You crossed the line 'Princess'."

"Oh, I know what this is about. You don't like me standing up to you. Is that it?"

Kendra blurted out a mirthless laugh, boldly meeting her gaze with all pretense at friendliness abandoned.

"I know you're the Emperor's daughter-in-law but honestly, I don't give a shit about that. I don't like your attitude and if you don't follow my orders you better remove yourself from this ship." Baring her teeth she bowed through her knees, her eyes piercing directly into Kendra's. Kendra however refused to be impressed, not bothering to hide her distaste. "I guess I hit a nerve."

"Give me one good reason not to kill you where you stand" the Mantrin growled.

"Oh, break a leg" Kendra replied though clenched teeth. "You're forgetting one thing. I've made a promise to your father-in-law and therefore your entire race. I'm putting my ass on the line to save yours! How's that?" Stith thought about it for a second, cursing the fact that she was right. "That's what I thought. Now I'm prepared to offer you one more chance. Take it or leave it." They exchanged angry looks for a few more seconds, neither of them planning to admit their mistake. "I bet you wish you could just kill me and be done with it, right?"

"It's tempting."

"C'mon, do you have what it takes to fight for your kind or not?"

Suddenly she laughed. Shaking her head, she turned away from Kendra and walked toward the door.

"You know what, without your fancy technology, I bet you can't even throw a stick at someone's head."

"Is that so?" Kendra yelled back, putting her hands in her hips. "I'm giving you one more chance. What do you do? You walk away, from a fight. I dare you to take it. Now are you gonna fight like a Mantrin or hide like a coward? Or are those two actually the same thing?"

Resisting the urge to turn back and slaughter this woman, who dared to call every member of her race a coward, she walked out of the room, grinding her teeth, her fists shaking with anger. She was done with it. The only thing she regretted however is letting her best friend down. But she just couldn't stand that woman. Thinking about it, she actually would have made a fine warrior if she were born Mantrin. The only thing that kept her from ramming her claws into her flesh was the fact that she was fighting for the survival of her race.

"Don't ask!"

"I-I didn't." It was in the late afternoon when she arrived back at the palace. Kero was waiting for her all day. He followed her on her way, not knowing where she went exactly. By the look on her face, he knew asking too much questions was lethal. "To be honest, I… wanted to ask you how you're doing."

"Not so good, really."

She went to the infirmary, Kero still on her tail. She actually rather wanted to be alone but since she wanted to see the eggs of her children, she couldn't. She didn't want to push Kero away from her son and daughter that were also his. The eggs were still sitting in the incubator, safe and warm. Touching her hand against the glass, she whispered a few soothing words, knowing they couldn't hear her but it was comforting for her as well. Letting out a sigh, she sat down on a stool in front of the eggs. She grumbled when she felt Kero nuzzling in her neck, his tongue slipping out of his beak, softly licking her.

"You're grouchy today" he said in an amused way.

Though she didn't really enjoyed it at this moment, she still purred softly when he bit playfully in the scruff of her neck. Eventually she became bugged by it and turned around on the stool to face her mate.

"Kero? D'you think I'm irresponsible?"

"I never said that" he said after a while.

"But you're not denying it either." She took a deep breath and slowly let the air out of her mouth. "I had an argument with Akima" she eventually admitted.

"Wow, that must the first time" he replied slowly.

"I know" she bit back, startling him. "Sorry" she added. "It's been bugging me all day. She gave me the impression that she thinks I'm not a good mother. Because of this fighting stuff. And I think… she may be right." Her face twisted into a angry scowl. "Look at me. They aren't even hatched yet and I'm screwing up already."

Leaning forward she rested her head on his muscular belly.

"But you're fighting for them right? You wanna make sure that they can grow up safely."

"Now I'm not so sure. Be honest Kero. What do you think?"

He gently rubbed between her ears, flinging his arms around her in a fond way.

"I have to admit, I was concerned about you for a moment. I've asked Kirliya to keep you safe. We're about to have two children. I wanna share the fun of raising them with you."

"Thanks."

"If you think fighting is the right thing then you should do it. But be careful."

"Hey how are you?"

They hadn't even heard him enter.

"Hey dad."

Ganyu's ears lowered when he feared he had disturbed their intimacy.

" I'm sorry, I always bash in at the wrong moment."

"No, no it's okay."

She stood up from the stool and walked up to her father. Without saying a word she threw her arms around his neck and embraced him. Ganyu was overwhelmed by his daughter's sudden need for a hug. He slowly brought his arms, he tossed in the air in astonishment down to her back and rubbed softly.

"Is it something I said?" he said into her ear.

He could feel her shake no. When she broke off she looked into his eyes and touched her beak to his.

"Dad? D'you think I can be a good mother?"

Ganyu heaved a sigh and flicked an ear, gently bringing up a hand to caress her cheek.

"Stith, no one can prepare you for being a parent. Your mother and I had a long thought before getting you." He laughed. "Raising you was difficult at some moments but we had a lotta fun too. You were one naughty little girl sometimes."

She turned her eyes down at his chest.

"Yeah, I've heard that before."

"Don't feel sorry for it. You were our little girl and at that age all children look at the world like it's a big playground." He paused, trying to think of the right words that would comfort her at this moment. "The point is, I think, if you really wanna be a good parent, then the decisions you make can't be right or wrong. But never rush. Give things a good thought and it will be all right."

Stith took a deep breath and smiled.

"Thanks dad."

"That's okay."

He gave her a rub between her ears.

"Hey you haven't even told us how you did at the training" Kero said, getting curious.

"Tell us, did you kick some butt?" her father asked with a big toothy grin.

She snickered.

"Actually I got my butt kicked, by the Commander."

Both her dad's and Kero's beak dropped open. Especially since she appeared to take it so lightly.

"O-Okay, what happened?"

"This should be interesting."

"Well, as you said I was being a naughty girl I guess. I didn't follow orders and screwed up because of it but that's not why I'm mad." She grumbled something indistinct. She was lucky her father didn't catch her words. "It's that woman. She makes me so angry. She obviously had zero experience with other races. The way she talked about us, insulted us because of the way we look. I wanted to shut her up!"

"What did you do to her?" Ganyu asked, a little bit of shock in his voice.

He knew his daughter had a little temper, which was perfectly normal for their species but she wouldn't seriously hurt people because of it, right?

"Nothing dad. We had an argument and, I walked away before she could make me angry enough to kill her."

She thought she actually heard her father heave a sigh of relief.

"And what're you gonna do now?"

Biting her lip, she thought about it for a moment.

"I think I did what you just told me not to do. I didn't think. She offered me a second chance and I walked away, because I was too angry to listen." She shook her head. "Tomorrow I'm gonna go back and take that chance."

Ganyu smiled and pulled her against his chest, rubbing between her ears.

"That's my daughter. You won't give up, right?"

"Nope, and I won't let Akima down either."

Determination had sparked the fiery spirit of the warrior inside her once again. She knew she could do this. It was time to put the attitude aside. _Well, a little maybe._ She allowed herself a smile. _You're gonna be in for a big surprise tomorrow. _

"You're going back to Earth?" Akima brought out in astonishment.

It was late in the evening when she finally came back from training that day. Great, just what she needed. She had an argument with her best friend, Stith screwed up in training and then she had to hear from Kendra that she quit. The Mantrin rookies were still not living up to Kendra's expectations and because of that her superior had been in a very bad mood the rest of the day. It was contagious too and just the thought about her mission tomorrow made her want to pound something, real hard and real bad. And she was just back on the _Valkyrie_ when Korso asked her to come to the bridge. They were going back to Earth, immediately.

"It's been arranged." The look on her Captain's face was serious. He didn't like leaving behind his crewmember and elite pilot either but unfortunately the decision wasn't his to make. "Command thinks we can make a bigger difference back home. You've been ordered to stay here and assist Commander Natal and defend Sogowa."

"What difference? Can't you just tell them to stick it up their-"

"Akima, I can't."

Cale slit down the stairs to the lower deck and hugged her tightly.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could stay with you" he whispered in her ear.

"But why now?"

She pushed Cale away, furious at their superiors back home. How could they do this? They would be light years apart from each other for God knew how long.

"I think, it has something to do with morale. They think I might be able to give people hope. I was humanity's last hope once, remember?"

She turned her back on them, preparing to walk off the command deck.

"Y-You know what, screw this. Screw this!"

"Akima, please don't. It's tough enough for me already."

"Well, what do you think about me?"

She spun around in a flash, her features clouded by an angry scowl.

"I know. But it's all been arranged. You can stay aboard Kendra's ship, in your own quarters, in private. We might even be able to communicate with each other. If the Seraphim don't start jamming all long range communications." Her eyes flickered for a second and she grumbled something indistinct. "I shouldn't have said that. C'mon, Iji's been on her own for long enough now. I'll take care of her." He hugged her again. She resisted but eventually surrendered, knowing this would be their last moment together for a while. Fighting back the tears, she tried to swallow away the lump that began to form in her throat. "I'll be with you with my thoughts all the time. I'll try to call you as often as possible. Let me know when you have time."

"I… will." Grabbing his head, she kissed him long, savoring the moment. Then she broke off and did it again and again. Licking her lips, after she finally broke off, she felt the touch of his hand on her cheek as he wiped the tears away that had left the corners of her eyes unnoticed. His own cheeks were wet too and she knew it were not just her tears. "I'm gonna go pack my stuff."

She was standing on the hangar deck as the _Valkyrie_ took off, the deck plating trembling under her feet by the force of the ship's vertical thrusters. They would fly back home on their own power since the _Spirit of the Way _was constantly needed here in orbit of Sogowa. Since the plans for a primary base of operations on the surface were still underway, the Illuminate warship was the only safe haven for Commanders that had to recall from a battle. If there was an emergency, they could retreat directly to the ship. Heaving a sigh, as the ship passed through the force field that sealed off the hangar deck from outer space, she began to walk with what little stuff she needed back to the corridor leading to the ship's internals. It was time to finally get some well-earned rest.


	37. Chapter 34 Time Struggle Part 1

**Time Struggle - Part 1**

_T minus eight hours…_

When she walked away angry yesterday, Stith never thought she would set foot on the _Spirit of the Way_ again. That woman, Kendra, made her so angry. Insulting her race, acting so superior, taunting her until she lost her temper. How she managed to carry all that ego with her dazzled Stith. The problem however was that she needed Kendra. Now she just had to convince Kendra that she needed her. According to the guy who sent her in the direction of the training hall, Kendra was about to start training with her rookies. When she turned around the last corner and entered, it turned out he was right. Trying to make herself look even taller, she put her attitude aside a little for now and walked up to her.

"Kendra, can I have a wo-"

"I don't have time for this now," she said curtly, turning her back on her. Stith felt a stab of anger but decided wisely to ignore it. "Everyone listen. I'm afraid I'm gonna be absent for today's training. There's something important on the surface that requires my attention. Crusader Laika will be your Commander for today. I expect you to follow her orders."

"Yes ma'am!" eleven voices bellowed through the room.

Apparently after she left yesterday, two more warriors had left the game. The rookies saluted, after which Kendra turned around with a tug and left the room, ignoring Stith completely as she walked by. Stith however didn't let go and followed her into the corridor.

"Kendra, can I have a word with you?"

"You had your chance. You tossed it into the fire."

"Please!" She had trouble getting the word over her lips. She had firmly resolved not to beg for anything but she wouldn't even listen to her. It did work however as Kendra stopped and turned around, raising a brow. "Listen, I think you and I got off on the wrong foot. But I wanna do this."

Kendra stared at her with her intense blue eyes and sighed.

"It might be better for you to go back to the surface. Things are under control now. We've got enough of these guys. You've got your children to care for in a couple of days. I'd really hate to see you get hurt."

She started walking again but Stith was not planning to give up so easily.

"You said I had one more chance."

"You had one more chance _then_, not now."

"What do you have against me?"

She was now really starting to get angry again. She couldn't stand her.

"Oh quit it. I don't have time for this, kangaroo girl."

"What's your problem?"

"My problem? What's _your _problem? Didn't you hear me? It's over. Done. Go home."

"From the start you've done nothing but insult my people! My race! And you did it again!"

"You're undermining my authority in front of the entire group! I'm not letting anyone make some kind of fool of me!" They were now standing opposite to each other, both breathing heavily, their eyes piercing into each other's. The sparks were flying off. A member of the crew who stood by had seen what happened and didn't move, until Kendra noticed him and her professionalism returned. "Carry on," she snarled, after which he quickly disappeared. She heaved a deep sigh and shook her head. "All right, I'm giving you one more chance. But I want you to follow orders. Now I won't be here to follow your progress but if I hear from Laika-"

"All right, I get it!"

Kendra led her back to the training hall.

"C'mon, I'm late already."

"Thank you. Eh, Kendra? Where's Akima?"

"You just missed her. She's down on the surface for an important operation. She told me she's fighting for you."

_Akima. _Stith couldn't believe it. That human was really the best friend she ever had. She really cared for her and that thought made her feel even guiltier.

"Kendra could you do me a favor, if it's not too much to ask?"

"All right, make it quick."

"Please tell Akima I'm sorry. And that we're gonna do this together."

"You're doing great Tucker. Your left flank seems a bit vulnerable though. Better get some extra point defense up or they're gonna roll right through it."

_I was getting there. _Clenching her teeth, she moved her ACU along her line of defense to strengthen the area designated by Faulkner with a group of engineers. He was there with her for support on the frontline along with several other rookies. They were the first line of defense and it was their task to cover the area at the entrance of the large peninsula and the nearby city. The city had been precautionarily evacuated as were the tribes living in the surrounding forests and jungles, the inhabitants moved to safety before the battle began. But that was no reason for letting the city be destroyed. It was covered by several shield generators and protected by multiple defensive turrets which were in turn covered by engineering stations. These small support structures housed a small set of repair drones to perform repairs during any moment when needed. A couple of air squadrons were constantly patrolling the region, to keep the enemy from getting close. It was better to avoid an attack on the city if possible.

The large piece of land that extended into the nearby ocean was the perfect area for a naval base. It was flat, with enough room for shipyards and it was easy to get rid of any trees with the ACU instantly converting them to usable mass. Three Commanders were building the base, one from each faction, to combine their technology and increase the effectiveness of their defense. If they succeeded in getting the base fully up and running and holding this position, it could serve as a staging area for future operations. Multiple factories were up and producing units and the whole half-island was heavily fortified with shields, turrets, floating torpedo launchers and patrolling submarines and ships. It bristled with activity and that was a necessity. The Seraphim would be on them soon.

Akima's role in this whole plan was simple. She was commanding one of the frontline outposts and served as a warning system and first line of defense for the base. If there was any sign of trouble on the move, they would know through her. For this mission she was commanding an Illuminate ACU with all of its units, structures, weapons and upgrades. For some reason she preferred Kendra's faction and had a better feeling while commanding it. Her small base was up, producing large amounts of tanks and assault bots, the sturdiest of all Illuminate units. She would need those together with her gunships and superiority fighters to hold them off.

Suddenly her com chimed and on the panel on her left, Kendra appeared. The general transmission, directed at anyone was automatically put through.

"Good morning everyone, if you could call it that. The stink of Seraphim is in the air today and it's blowing in this direction. Now listen. We know the Seraphim have set their eyes on this position and I don't think they like us sitting here right now. Be advised, we've already spotted enemy forces within the twenty kilometer range. That means they're close. Secure the perimeter and get ready. Remember, losing is not an option. Natal out."

_Great start. _She was ready though, at least she thought she was. The other rookies of their group were here as well. However they were all still green in the eyes of their superiors and that's why Faulkner coordinated them during this mission. A few moments later she was contacted on a private channel by Lynn. She did well in training just like she did and had proven to be capable.

"Are you ready for this?"

"I've got your back."

Lynn smirked.

"And I've got yours. Don't worry. We'll get through this. You and I have been training like crazy."

"That may be true, but Kendra taught us that every battle is different. You can never really prepare for what's coming." Another transmission came in, on a private channel and it was from Kendra as she could see. "That's Kendra, gotta go."

She broke the transmission without waiting for Lynn's reply and put Kendra through.

"Akima, are you ready?"

"I feel ready Commander."

Kendra smiled.

"I've got a message for you. A friend of you wants to let you know that's she's sorry. She promises that you're gonna do this together."

"_Stith" _it flashed through her mind. She didn't know what to say. After she heard what happened between Kendra and her alien friend yesterday she thought Stith quit. It wasn't like her to let others tell her what to do but it wasn't like her to give up after one try either. Kendra however wasn't the forgiving type so she wondered how Stith had managed to convince her to give her another chance. Maybe these two women, though from different worlds, weren't as different as they both thought. "Tell her, that I'm waiting for her."

Kendra scoffed.

"There's no time for waiting. In fact, time is a luxury neither one of us has." The cheerful expression on her face was suddenly overshadowed by seriousness. "And stop talking to Patterson. I can see that."

"I just wanna make sure someone has my back."

"_We_'ve got your back. By the way, you might wanna change that engineering suite for something more useful in battle. Take a look at your ACU upgrades. You're fighting on the front line. You might wanna equip some shields and upgrade your weapon. It can make quite a bit of difference when you're fighting on your own. Good luck and keep an eye on your radar."

She broke the transmission and suddenly she was all alone. The calm before the storm. All she could do was wait. Due to the constant pressure applied on her she hadn't even noticed how beautiful the Mantrin homeworld actually was. Her HUD allowed her to see much more than the naked eye alone. The city they were protecting was built on the top of a low hill surrounded by large outcroppings of rock. The terrain was very rough and reaching their perimeter by ground would already be difficult for their enemy. The dense forests and jungles of Sogowa were growing on anything accept flat terrain. Hills, cliffs, waterfalls and rivers made up the landscape making it an extremely challenging battlefield. But Kendra was right. If she were here for sightseeing she wouldn't be piloting this machine. Selecting the Back Personal Shield Generator from the upgrade menu, she began to enhance her ACU with the new system. It would offer a much greater protection in the heat of battle. In the mean time she just sat and waited, her thoughts drifting off to her husband. _I wish you were here with me Cale. _Figuring he was probably thinking about her too at this very moment, she upgraded the right arm of her ACU with the Quantum Accelerator. This upgrade would rapidly cool down her main weapon, allowing a faster rate of fire. The last upgrade replaced her engineering suite with an enhanced version of the Quantum Disruptor, nearly doubling its range and effectiveness. Now she was almost ready. In the distance, large avian creatures dominated the skies. Sogowa had a huge diversity of flora and fauna and the planet's most intelligent inhabitants lived in harmony with them. Zooming in using her HUD to study the phenomenon her breath suddenly caught. Those animals were no animals at all.

"This is Akima to all other Commanders. We have incoming hostiles; range five clicks. Repeat, incoming hostiles. Check you radar!"

It was Faulkner who replied and took action.

"Copy that Tucker. I'm intercepting."

A large squadron of interceptors and fighter bombers broke off from their patrol and changed course to intercept the enemy air squadron. The robotic fighters were lightning fast and engaged in a wild dance for domination of the sky, making maneuvers that would crush the life out of any pilot, if they had one. Their linked rail guns were effective at taking out the enemy gunships and fighters. If she were real honest to herself, their craft were as beautiful as they were mysterious, with the unusual asymmetric design and shining armor. Two large craft, identified by her HUD as _Vishala _Tech 2 air transports were shot down by Faulkner's strike force before they could drop off their load of tanks and bots, hitting the ground with an earth shaking explosion. But this was just a scouting party. One of Akima's radar installations detected a large scattered group of tanks and assault bots fighting through the forest, using their weapons to cut down everything in their path. Large columns of dense black smoke from the burning forest swirled up into the sky, causing a rain of ash to fall down in the surrounding area. She was completely frozen for a second but snapped back into the battle when she was warned by her ACU about the increasing number of red dots on her radar. They were coming at her by the dozens and at the other side near the base they were doing the same. A large fleet of Seraphim naval ships had been spotted and their long range weapons could severely damage the base if not taken out in time.

"All right, let's get this over with," she muttered to herself.

But before the enemy reached her, a transmission came in and before she knew it, her com was hacked and it was put through without her unable to do anything about it. Her heart skipped a few beats and her breath caught again when the green-yellowish eyes inside the angry lizard-like face pierced right into hers. His skin was a dark shade of gray which made the eyes stood out even more. They glittered malignantly, reflecting his evil intentions. She had seen pictures of the Seraphim from the database but in real these creatures were even more frightening. She wasn't sure if he could see her directly nor if this transmission was only directed at her but to be sure she didn't move a bit. Trying to come over the initial shock she kept her mouth firmly shut, taking short breaths through her nose. The voice of the alien was a sharp as a blade and he lisped when his native tongue was translated into English.

"Welcome my Coalition friendsss. My name is Quan-Thanamow and I pity you. Your lassst momentsss are near. This planet will be part of our new Order and there'sss nothing you can do about it. Every single human will sssuffer the same fate as those of usss you killed on Seraphim II. No one can ssstand against usss."

He laughed malevolently. A cold emotionless laugh, which made the shivers crawl up her spine. But his laughter was cut short by Kendra who broke the transmission. The alien's face made place for hers and apparently Akima wasn't the only one who received that transmission.

"Don't listen to that hideous creature's crap! Concentrate on defending the base! It was a stupid move anyway cause now we have his location. There's a modest-sized base about forty clicks from here from which he's launching his attacks. We have to take it out sooner or later or we'll risk being overrun."

In the mean time Akima was having her hands full. Tanks and bots dashed out of the forest, firing their high-powered energy weapons against her shields. Suddenly the air between the enemy and her draining shields was filled with bolts, beams, missiles and bullets. In this total chaos she had to keep her head cool. Her life depended on it. She had about seven hours to go.

The _Valkyrie_ was back in space dock around New Earth late in the morning and the crew had never been so eager to leave the ship. Most of them had family living down there and wanted to make sure they were all right, but none of them was as eager as Cale. Poor Iji. They had been forced to leave her alone; orders were orders. Fortunately a Vusstran couple living at the same level as their apartment had agreed to take care of her. They had left their polluted world, trying to find a better place and had found it on New Earth. They were very nice people, liked Iji very much -probably because she was their race- and had no problem with that since they had children of their own, though they were much younger than Iji. She could resume school and do stuff at home normally and she could eat with them or stay with them if she wanted. It had all been arranged quickly. Still, despite all that, Cale was still worried about his younger alien sister. They didn't tell Korso on what part of the planet the Seraphim commander set down. What if it was close to one of the cities and in particular the _Heliopolis_?

"Cale, I'm gonna find out what happened. I'll contact you when I know more. Go and find your sister."

He thanked Korso for being so understanding and stepped on the transporter pad. Korso had no living family. He wasn't bothered by such things and he was a Captain. He had to report to his superiors. When he materialized on one of the pads in one of the cities busy lobbies, his heart was suddenly racing in his throat.

"_Iji" _it flashed through his mind.

He still didn't know what happened but some damage had been caused to the city. In the middle of the lobby where he was standing a holo billboard had come down, destroying part of the information center and undoubtedly killing people in the process. He didn't doubt that more incidents like this one had happened all over the city and he couldn't help but pray that Iji wasn't among the victims. Cursing the Seraphim he rushed toward one of the transparent elevators with only one thing on his mind.

When he arrived at the level of his apartment he was glad to find everything intact. The apartment was still there and the door was closed. Still he was already pushing against the door before he was identified by the bioscanner. When it unlocked he immediately dashed inside. The living room however seemed untouched. Something wasn't right. Was Iji really that neat? Most teenagers turned the house upside down when they had it for themselves.

"Iji!"

He did a few steps, taking a quick look in the other rooms. No Iji. He checked his chrono. Normally she would be at school but it was the weekend. She had to be home. Maybe she was with Mr. Qre and his wife Nyt. They had promised she could drop by whenever she wanted. He was just about to leave the house and check when something hit him hard in his stomach area. It was Iji with her arms wrapped around his waist, so glad to see him that she nearly crushed the life out of him.

"Cale! Am I glad to see you."

He softly stroke her head, her leathery skin feeling rough to his fingertips.

"Iji, are you all right? I heard there was an attack. You're not hurt, aren't you?"

She wasn't crying or sad all, as he first thought. She was just terribly glad to see him. Lifting her face off his chest she looked at him, her beak-like snout curving into a smile.

"I don't know what happened. I was at Mr. Qre's house and then there was an explosion of some kind. I was scared at first but I had to be strong for their children. They're so young. They were terrified so I protected them until I was sure we were safe."

"That's very courageous of you. Did they take good care of you while you were there?"

She nodded.

"Nyt really likes me. They've been like a mom and dad to me. I like 'em very much."

Cale gently rubbed her head. He didn't want to leave her alone again but he had to.

"Iji, I'm sorry. I'm gonna have to ask you to stay with them for just a little longer. You know Joe Korso? My Captain? He'll contact me as soon as he knows more about what's going on. We'll probably get reassigned where we're needed at the moment and-"

Iji shook her head.

"You don't have to say anything brother. I know, you're very busy and don't have time for your little sister."

"No Iji, that's not it. I don't wanna-"

She smirked and flared her nostril slits.

"I'm teasing you dummy. Now go get 'em!"

He pulled her into his arms one more time, tightly hugging her against his chest. She hugged him too, her arms wrapped around his waist.

"I love you Iji. Be careful okay?"

"I will" she mumbled.

Since he had to wait for Korso to contact him, Cale decided to pay a visit to _The Lighthouse_. It was crowded of course and a free spot was almost impossible to find. The little snippets of conversations he picked up mostly had the current situation as a subject. Of course it was hard to ignore. New Earth was no longer the safe haven it used to be. He heard a father talking about his wife and three children. The alien was obviously considering to leave the planet. Cale shook his head and sipped from his drink, shooting a quick glance at the people he was sharing this end of the bar with. A drunk Tetsarian sat on his left. On his right sat an Akrennian, talking to a friend from a race he didn't recognize. Harry was too busy pouring drinks to have a chat and he didn't recognize anyone. Eventually he got caught up so much in his own pool of thoughts that he didn't notice someone had recognized him.

"Didn't expect to see you walking in here."

When Cale looked up and turned to around to face the person the voice belonged to he was surprised and not entirely unpleasantly. Ayko placed her stool next to him and 'asked' the other Akrennian to move up. He shot her a dangerous look at first but quietly did as she said.

"Oh, hey Ayko. How's it between you and Preed?"

The tall Akrennian woman laughed, revealing her glistening fangs. She sat down and emptied her glass of ale, putting it on the bar with a bang.

"Good actually. You wouldn't recognize the guy."

"I'm glad to hear that. D'you know what's going on by the way?"

The look in her eyes changed. He had never seen her like this.

"I'm sorry, but those darned aliens attacked your world. And you're not the only one." The look in her eyes changed again, this time into anger. "Those filthy creatures have set foot on my world as well. I'm gonna go back tomorrow. I hope they'll kill every last one of them and dissect them and make their entire race pay for what they're doing."

She rammed her shaking fist on top of the bar, grinding her teeth in anger.

"My God, I didn't know it was that serious."

"Oh, but it is. They won't stop."

He could feel her fury. It was contagious. He began to feel just like her. He wanted to make them all pay. They were killing millions of innocents here. What could they do? Their technology was highly advanced. If the Coalition weren't here to help, those worlds would have fallen one by one. Before he could reply his wristcom chimed. It was Korso.

"Tucker here."

"Cale, meet me down below. I've got a new assignment."

"I'll be right there."

He looked at Ayko who waved his apology away with her hand before he said it.

"Just go. Duty calls. See ya later."

"Thanks Ayko."

She had already lost interest in him as she opened up a conversation with the guy next to her. He stood up to leave and suddenly Preed was standing next to him. They merely exchanged looks but he patted the Akrennian on the shoulder nonetheless.

"Keep it up Preed. You're doing great I heard. I saved a seat for ya."

"Why thank you Cale."

He smiled wryly and let Ayko know he was here. In the mean time Cale was already on his way out. He had more important things to do than chat with a guy he still didn't like.

"There you are."

"What's up Cap? You look serious."

Korso sighed. He began walking toward the lobby's exit. Something was on his mind, Cale could feel it.

"Apparently it's more serious than I thought. New Earth and Sogowa are no longer the only worlds."

"Yeah, I've heard it from Ayko. I met her just a moment ago."

"Ayko? That female Akrennian who's in love with my good old friend Preed? Are they still here?"

"Yeah but she won't be for long. Akrennia's fallen prey to the Seraphim as well and she's furious about it."

Korso nodded.

"Not just Akrennia I'm afraid. Vusstra, D'amara, hell even Indar Prime's been attacked. Plus they're using several uninhabited worlds as staging areas as well."

"What about the Coalition?"

"They've requested reinforcements and they're doing the best they can but the Seraphim are spreading like fire through a dry forest."

Cale was speechless for a moment and followed his Captain outside. What did this race want from them? Were they so driven by their anger and thirst for revenge that they just killed everyone who happened to be in their way? This was madness.

"What happened to Starfleet? Where's Jason?"

Korso sighed. He barely looked at him when he answered.

"Starfleet has its own problems right now and they're not that different from ours."

"You mean?-"

"I'm afraid so."

"Can we still expect their help as they promised?"

Korso suddenly stopped walking. His face had turned into a mixture of concern and agitation.

"Cale, I don't know. You're asking all kinds of questions I can't answer right now. Command has given me a special assignment. It'll be temporary but here on Earth we can make a difference. Akima's doing the best she can to do her part. Now we're gonna do ours."

"All right, all right, settle down. What've you got?"

He smiled mysteriously.

"Follow me."

When they left the city Cale had never expected to see what he was seeing now. The Coalition had a Commander guarding the _Heliopolis_. The massive vertical city was now surrounded by defenses. A base had been built around the superstructure to defend it from enemy attack. A series of special shield generators had been built around the _Heliopolis_ to protect the vulnerable city. These shields could be instantly raised in case of an attack. Cale could feel the ground under his feet shaking and when he looked to his right, a massive ACU walked over the plains. The giant machine was there to protect them but it reminded everyone of how close the war was to them. But what Korso had in reserve surprised him even more.

"_Dominators_?"

Two of the sleek flying wings were standing on one of the runways of the nearby spaceport. He had flown one before and it was the fastest thing he ever flew. Agile, lightning fast, armed to the teeth and capable of flying completely on its own. What was Korso planning to do with them? Two small fighters wouldn't make a difference against the Seraphim.

"That's right Cale. These are Mark two's. The Coalition modified the craft, increasing its combat capabilities even further. Their armor's been reinforced and it now has a small shield system."

Cale was amazed. The main assault fighter of the Republic fleet was already top of the line. But the Coalition managed to enhance it even further. A shield generator in such a small craft? It made him realize how far they were still behind in technology in comparison to the Coalition.

"Hop in. We're gonna take 'em for a little ride to an air base. They wanna test the landing systems again since there was an accident on the runway yesterday."

"All right, I'm in for a little flying."

When he climbed into the cockpit and put on the light-weight helmet he was met by a strange feeling. What in the universe was Korso up to? He was talking about a new assignment and an air base. Were they going to fight on the front lines just like Akima did on Sogowa? He decided not to ask questions and simply followed Korso. Things would undoubtedly explain themselves when they got there. Closing the cockpit he fired up the small ship's systems. The layout of the controls had been slightly altered, a few extra options added but it was practically the same as the Mark one. Grabbing the stick in front of him, the pilot feeling came back. It was invigorating, giving him strength and confidence.

"Ground control to _Dominator_ squadron, do you read?"

"We read ya," Cale heard Korso reply over the open com channel.

"You're free to go Captain."

"Thanks. Cale did you hear that?" Cale acknowledged and fired up the engines. He could feel their power beginning to flow as the small ion reactor jumped to life. _Let's fly. _Pushing the throttle forward, the craft responded just as fast as he remembered. He was pressed into the seat with considerable force as the craft gathered speed on the runway. It didn't need much distance to get airborne and could even takeoff and land vertically if necessary. The moment the landing gear retracted he blasted off into the sky. "Cale, hold back a little. It's not far from here. I'm sending you the coordinates."

"Sorry Korso, I guess I got a little excited."

Korso laughed. A moment later they were flying side by side. He raised his thumb from behind the cockpit window.

"This is actually my first time flying this baby. It's different from anything I've ever flown before."

Cale chuckled.

"It's a beast in a small cage." The coordinates were marked on his tacmap and as they adjusted course to intercept them Cale noticed something odd. _That can't be right._ "Eh, Cap? You might wanna check those coordinates again. Fifteen hundred meters is a little high for an air base, don't you think?"

Korso let out a laugh.

"Oh no, the coordinates are correct, you'll see."

The undertone of his voice had something mysterious to it. Cale was getting curious.

A few moments later it became clear what he was talking about. Korso took his fighter straight into a cloud formation with Cale on his tail.

"Brace yourself."

When they broke through the white fluffy-looking barrier on the other side it became obvious what he was talking about. Cale was staring at something that only existed in people's fantasies, yet it was floating here before his very eyes. Hovering on four pairs of anti-gravity engines was the base. It was a flying aircraft carrier. Two control towers were placed on each flank and three flight decks were stacked on top of each other. Gun emplacements protected the flanks and a couple of large cannons hung from the bottom, capable of bombarding any ground based installations. And this whole massive installation was just hanging there, defying gravity itself. Cale blinked a few times to convince himself it was real and not some trick of the mind.

"I-Is this real?" he brought out.

"If you keep flying straight, you're gonna find out how real it is," Korso joked. Banking to the right, Cale kept staring at it, unable to tear his eyes from the sight. "It's a _Thunderstorm_ class Sky Carrier. She's called the _Icarus_. You wanna take a look aboard?"

"You bet."

"This Joseph Korso calling _Icarus_. _Icarus_ do you read?"

"Good day Captain, this is _Icarus_. Runway two on the upper deck is clear. Welcome aboard."

"Thank you. Korso out."

Extending his gear, Cale made a half circle and banked sharply to the left, lining his fighter up with runway. Hitting the brakes he brought the _Dominator_'s speed down to a safe and steady level and slowly brought the stick down. Being this close to the runway, he began to notice how big the whole platform actually was. It was astonishing. He began to wonder where they had built this thing and in such a short period of time. The _Coalition _and their technology kept surprising him.

"Cale you're coming in too low."

"Eh, right."

Pulling up the stick a bit to keep his altitude, he made a promise not to let his thoughts drift away again until he was standing still on the tarmac. When the wheels touched the deck, he hit the brakes as hard as he could, stopping the fighter in no time. To his surprise, the computer took control and taxied the fighter off the runway, lining it up on its own spot behind a row of _Dominators_.

"Looks like the landing systems are working perfectly now," the voice of the man in the control tower said.

Opening the canopy, he took off the helmet and leapt out of the cockpit. Deciding to have a look around first, he walked toward the runway. A small squadron of fighters took off on the deck below, the tarmac under his feet trembling. They exited the hangar on the front of the carrier to start their patrol. A few people walked around. They didn't need many. As with all things lately, most systems were automated so they didn't need maintenance crews or pilots. In fact, three drones had seemed to come out of nowhere to take care of the fighter he just landed. It was strange, standing on a giant flying air base one and a half kilometers up in the sky. The sound of the carrier's massive anti-gravity engines pressed on his ears. It was a deep low rumbling, like thunder and he suddenly knew where the name came from.

"Amazing isn't it?" It was Korso, suddenly standing next to him.

"Yeah, but what're we doing up here exactly?"

Korso smirked.

"We're gonna assist the Coalition in their fight against the Seraphim. They're a little short on crew and since the _Valkyrie_ is not exactly designed for in-atmosphere battles we can be of more help here. And the best thing is, I'm sharing command of the _Icarus_ with a Coalition officer. Shall we?"


	38. Chapter 35 Time Struggle Part 2

**Time Struggle – Part 2**

_T minus five hours…_

"How're you holding up Tucker?" Kendra yelled over the com.

It was harder than she imagined. They just kept coming. She had been fighting for over two hours straight but they were still not giving up and constantly switched tactics. She didn't just thought anymore but responded lightning fast to every new threat using her instinct. She was a Commander now, in control of everything including her own mind. She had to stay focused at all times or she would eventually make a mistake which would be fatal in this stage.

"Fine, but I would appreciate a break."

"Commander under attack. Warning, damage to right leg. Auto-repair system active."

"Crap!"

That little distraction nearly got her killed. Those assault bots nicknamed _Ilshavoh _were fast and elusive and tried to surround her position. Her left flank was weakened by their constant attacks. She had to rebuild her defenses. Sending a couple of engineers to rebuild the destroyed defensive towers she continued to fight back.

"Maybe if you ask nicely. But I don't think they're in the mood for it. Keep it up."

"Kendra, when are we gonna take out their base?"

"We? There's no we. You're gonna stay here. We'll handle it. We're gonna need a huge force if we even wanna dent their defense. Their base is heavily fortified and protected by a series of mountain ridges. Commander Starke will lead the assault. I've got-"

It was silent on her side for a moment. Obviously something was wrong. But Akima was too busy staying alive to find out for herself.

"Kendra, what's wrong?"

"Darn it. We've got experimentals incoming. Three _Ythotha_'s to your left. Rookies, send everything you have at those assault bots. If you allow them to get too close you're done for. Faulkner, get them in position."

"Yes ma'am." Faulkner appeared on screen. A thin film of sweat covered his forehead and he was having trouble enough as it was. "Listen up. We've gotta take out those assault bots. They're tough, very though and there're three of them. Group your forces together and send them all at once. You've heard Commander Natal. We can't let 'em get close." Doing as instructed, Akima gathered her ground assault units and brought them all together as a single group. She had tanks, assault bots, a couple of artillery units and a large squadron of gunships and bombers for support. Hoping her defenses would hold on their own in the mean time she brought them into formation to attack on Faulkner's signal. In the meantime something massive walked by and when she fixed her view on the object, the massive body of a Galactic Colossus filled her screen. And she thought the ACU's were large! The ground shook with every step of the giant machine which was almost three times the height of her ACU. On her tacmap it was marked as one of Kendra's units. This thing could take on an _Ythotha_ one to one. "Support the Colossus!" Faulkner yelled over the com. The battle started, in the middle of the squashed forest. The entire area was cut down by the enemy forces. Not a tree was left standing and most of it was burned to a crisp. It took away the enemy's earlier advantage of the cover and it revealed several groups of ground units protecting the assault bots. The anti-air on the enemy experimental wasn't fast enough to track the bombers as they passed over and dropped their load. But they were protected by mobile anti-air which filled the sky with flak. The storm of explosions ripped the gunships apart and took out more bombers each time they passed over for another drop but the enemy wasn't without losses either. They had fighters and gunships of their own and they went down pretty quick when the combined Coalition ground assault group hit them. Tanks were reduced to rubble, bots collapsed and exploded and the enemy experimentals opened fire with their devastating array of weapons, sweeping across the ground with _Gatling Plasma Cannons_ and _Phason Beams_. The destruction was enormous. It was like the ground itself was on fire. One of the _Ythotha_'s however had taken severe damage and was staggering on its feet. "Watch it! A few more shots will take it down. It deploys a secondary weapon when destroyed so keep your units away when it goes down."

The _Colossus_ opened fire with its own _Phason Laser _and added to the chaos.

"There it goes," Akima said to herself. The enemy experimental went down. From its burning husk something she could only describe as lightning appeared. She had never seen anything like it. Like a concentrated ball of energy. It moved over the battlefield, lashing out with its tentacles of crackling energy. What kind of energy source were the Seraphim using to power those things? She felt strange when she looked at it. Could it be? That thing somehow looked like it was alive. "What the hell is that?"

She was so caught up by it that she hadn't even noticed that the Seraphim had stopped attacking her position, which was a good thing since she was distracted. That thing was attacking the Seraphim units as well. Apparently it was out of control, destroying everything in its path. When it eventually disappeared Faulkner answered.

"We still don't know entirely. Our closest guess is that the Seraphim are using creatures made of quantum energy to power those machines. When it's destroyed they are released but since they can't be exposed to our realm for too long they disappear eventually." A second _Ythotha_ went down and another creature appeared. It behaved similarly, destroying everything its tentacles of lightning happened to touch. Akima was horrified and fascinated at the same time. What kind of race would do such a thing? Using 'living' beings as an energy source for a war machine? "All right everyone. Rebuild your armies. They'll be back soon."

The Colossus was still standing when the last of the _Ythotha_'s crashed to the earth. The enemy wouldn't rest. Maybe they wouldn't even need rest. They kept coming until they had what they wanted.

_T minus three hours…_

She was still fighting. Fighting the endless waves of enemies coming at her with astonishing speed. Their only goal was to destroy her, wipe her off the face of the planet. But she wouldn't let them. She was stronger. She had to hold them off just a little longer. They would begin the assault on the enemy base soon. Then it would be over. She could go back, to her quiet and peaceful quarters aboard the _Spirit of the Way_. A hot shower… A nice warm bed… _No, we're not there yet. _Shells were still raining down around her, bolts still collided with her shields, persistent to break through and destroy what's behind. She was getting tired. She didn't know how they did it. Keep fighting for so many hours straight. But she had to keep going.

"Keep up your strength Tucker. Take a few rations. There's plenty of 'em in your ACU." That was Kendra's advice so she did and was surprised it made her feel better. They didn't taste very well but at least it gave her the energy she needed to keep going. "All right listen up. We're starting the assault on their base. If we succeed it'll be over soon."

Akima noticed a large group of units moving away from the base. She estimated their numbers in the upper eight hundred range, maybe more. It was a mixed bag of units from all factions combined, maximizing the effectiveness of the group by combining technology. Most of them were Tech 2 and 3 but there were also a couple of experimentals among them, including the fearsome Cybran Monkeylord, a massive spiderlike bot with a sweeping laser beam as its primary weapon, the Illuminate Galactic Colossus and the submersible Atlantis class aircraft carrier of the UEF. This massive sea vessel was accompanied by several large battleships, cruisers and submarines to protect it as it carried a large amount of aircraft for rapid deployment near the enemy's location. Suddenly a transmission came through. It was targeted at everyone. Akima had never seen a Mantrin like this. He had a scaled bluish skin, a row of fins running over his head, bright colored eyes and gills in his neck. Maybe it was because of the translator but his voice almost sounded like singing. The strangest thing was, he was talking underwater and appeared to be aboard some sort of ship.

"Greetings, alien allies. We want to thank you for protecting us. Now it is time for us to fight alongside you. May Kirliya guide us in this battle."

Kendra who received the transmission as well, wanted to protest.

"Now wait a minute. You don't stand a chance. They're too powerful." But they broke the connection before she could stop them from doing something they would regret afterwards. "Darn it. They're toast. Their weapons are no way-"

Before she could finish her sentence something caught her attention. It was a ship of some kind, but underwater. Using her HUD to zoom in from above the computer identified the object as a gigantic submarine. When it surfaced she could see it clearly. It was massive, streamlined and the hull was transparent. There was water inside the vessel as well. Several smaller ships surfaced and together they formed a fleet with the big ship in the middle. Akima witnessed it as well, fascinated by the sight. It nearly made her lose focus on the battle she was still fighting.

The large group of units began to move, the army of land units led by Commander Starke heading for the enemy base, while the battle group at sea followed, staying close to the shore to provide support. It would take some time before they reached the enemy base and in the mean time the factories were already producing the first reinforcement. The Seraphim were dug in deep. They had to breach the outer defenses first before they could take out the main base and if they were lucky, the Seraphim Commander before he recalled to his main base. In the mean time they had to hold their position until it was done, which was difficult as the attacks intensified. The Seraphim Commander knew what they were up to. Akima's ACU stumbled back when she was hit in the chest. She cursed. _Damn, those Siege Tanks were strong. _They just wouldn't die.

"This is Tucker. The enemy's advancing on my position. I don't think I can hold 'em off any longer."

"Fall back to you secondary position Tucker," Faulkner yelled over the com.

"Copy that. Retreating to secondary position."

"Strategic launch detected."

That was the computer, informing her about something Kendra warned her about. Using her tacmap to zoom out Akima couldn't see a thing. But she heard it clearly. The Seraphim had launched a missile. And suddenly she saw it, at the edge of their combined sensor range, approaching fast.

"This is Kendra to all: We've got a nuke inbound! Make sure anti-nuclear facilities are read to intercept!" The tiny little icon representing the nuke was on its way to the base. But Kendra and her team of Commanders had taken measures to prevent a nuclear attack from destroying all of their work and themselves. As Akima fell back to her secondary defensive position, which was still fully intact, the nuke was intercepted by anti-missiles before it could hit the target and wipe the base off the face of the planet. "Well, I bet there's more where that came from. Starke, you're clear to press the attack. Everyone else, keep your anti-nuclear facilities loaded. We can't let one of those things hit us."

"Aye Commander."

Starke moved forward with his army and the Aquatic Mantrin fleet supported the Coalition vessels. The massive sea vessel and its escort dove under the water surface and activated its powerful engines. In the mean time, Akima watched as her first layer of defense crumbled under the overwhelming assault. Rows of turrets fired their last shots before being destroyed by enemy tanks and bots. Her shields collapsed and her retreating units were being picked on by gunships. It was frustrating. For five hours she had managed to hold that little spot but they were too strong and with too many. Her secondary defensive line was stronger however and built on higher ground. She wasn't the only Commander who had been forced to fall back. They were hitting them relentlessly and they just kept coming.

"Strategic launch detected."

About half an hour, several deflected nukes and a few bruises later, Akima was still in the fight. So far their defense hadn't been breached. It was time for the attack.

"Commander Starke to all. I have the Seraphim base in my sights. I'm pressing forward."

"Copy that Josh," Kendra replied. "Try to hit their anti-nukes first. If they force you to fall back, we can hit 'em with a nuke of our own. In the mean time, let 'em have it!"

While fighting off wave after wave of enemies, repairing and strengthening her defenses, Akima followed the impending clash on the screen on her left. The Seraphim were defending with an army and fleet at sea of their own. The things she feared for the most were the lives of the Aquatic Mantrins. Except for Commander Starke himself, his army consisted of soulless machines only. But the Aquatic ships were filled with living breathing bodies. _This could get ugly._

Starke moved in and attacked; land and sea units simultaneously. The battle was huge. The moment the two armies clashed, a storm of beams, bolts, missiles and shells rained down on either side. The sky darkened when a couple of hundred aircraft fought for domination of the sky. Their crashes were as dangerous as the bombs they carpeted the area with, creating a sea of fire and explosions between the battling tanks and bots. The massive Spiderbot and the Colossus opened fire, burning deep trenches into the ground with their sweeping beam weapons, taking out several enemies with a few swift strikes.

At sea, the situation was similar. The massive battleships were loaded with weapons. Massive cannons fired their ordinance while smaller weapons used for defense tried to block enemy attacks. The smaller cruisers and destroyers were equipped with several defensive weapons such as anti-air, anti-torpedoes and tactical missile defenses. Submarines, though small were some of the most dangerous weapons of every faction. Their torpedoes were powerful enough to destroy almost every ship with a few well-placed shots. Aircraft could make a big difference too. The Atlantis class carrier surfaced. When it opened its bay doors, it deployed its anti-air weapons to counter the enemy air attack and launched several squadrons of gunships and torpedo bombers. But surprisingly enough, one of the most powerful weapons they had were perhaps the ships of the Aquatics. Not only were they lightning fast, they were loaded with torpedo tubes. In addition to a good offensive, they had an excellent countermeasure system as well. Akima was amazed by the ferocious way they attacked the invaders of their underwater Empire. They created chaos by moving between the enemy fleet and firing in all directions. The larger vessel was an arsenal on its own, armed with several rows of torpedo launchers. The enemy fleet didn't stand a chance against this colossal submarine.

"Looks like your underwater friends are better than I expected," Kendra suddenly said over the com. "But I don't trust it. I expected far more resistance." Akima took a quick look at the situation. Starke's army was still standing and even the naval fleet was still quite strong after the last Seraphim ship was sent to the bottom of the ocean. They had suffered some losses but nothing major. Two Mantrin ships had been hit badly too. They were sinking and the crew had been forced to abandon ship. Lucky for them they were born underwater and Akima hoped they all made it out of their ships alive. "Something doesn't feel right. Starke are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I'm ready to attack their stronghold now."

"Strategic launch detected."

It all seemed to happen in the fraction of a second Kendra needed to figure out what they were up to. The moment Starke moved forward to attack the base, the enemy launched again.

"Starke, get outta there! You've got a missile inbound. I bet my own ass its target is set for you."

"I can make it! I'm evading."

Starke's army scattered. Every unit tried to get away from the target area as fast as possible but they were close to the enemy base. A launched missile would hit them fast and pretty accurately.

"Josh, listen to me! Break off you attack and recall! That's an order!"

"No, I can make it! I just need to go a little further."

"No! Recall dammit!" Akima saw it all happen. The missile had made its way to the target and was now approaching the ground at breathtaking speed. Commander Starke was still there, vainly trying to clear the area with his army. There was a blinding light when the nuke hit the ground. She had to look away from the panels for a few seconds. Closing her eyes to shield them from the inferno, she prayed to every god in the galaxy that Joshua Starke survived. She could feel her own ACU trembling, the earthshaking explosion pushing a shockwave forward that even reached her position. When she dared to look at her HUD again, she saw nothing but destruction. The entire area where Josh's army had walked so fiercely a few moments ago was one big black smoking crater. Nothing was left standing. A couple of burning husks around the edges of the crater were the only evidence. The general com channel flooded with chatter and cries of shock, mostly from the rookies. "Starke! Starke are you still there? Answer me!"

Kendra kept trying but there was no response. Akima was too shocked to say anything and it was a good thing the enemy had stopped attacking her for a moment. Someone called her privately. It was Lynn.

"My God, did you see that? They just destroyed everything."

It was a good thing they evacuated the entire area. But all the animals living in those forest were gone, erased from existence. It was an ugly scar on the surface of a beautiful world.

"It was kinda hard to miss. How could they do that? Do they have any sense of decency at all?"

She still couldn't believe it. Though the crater was huge in diameter, it wasn't very deep, about twenty meters deep at the center at most. The surface was simply wiped flat. The next wave of enemy units started moving, going straight through the crater.

"Starke! Starke you're alive."

That was Kendra and the transmission was being relayed to everyone. Though he was alive, he was in bad shape. His ACU was all but completely destroyed as was his cockpit. Bleeding wounds covered his face and he seemed to be missing part of his left ear. The transmission was distorted, interrupted by large amounts of static. Sparks were flying around his cockpit and he had to be careful not to get hit by them.

"I guess, I wasn't fast enough," he panted, groaning in pain. "My legs. I can't feel my legs. I can't get my systems back up."

"Hold on Josh, we're gonna get you outta there. I'm sending a transport to get you. You're gonna make it."

Starke shook his head. The pain was unbearable, rendering him almost unable to speak. Even breathing seemed to cause severe pain.

"The core's still intact. But I don't know how long the containment field will hold. It's losing power. Don't bring me in, it's too dangerous."

"No, Josh listen to me. Just hold on okay?"

A proximity alert blared through Starke's cockpit. The Seraphim units were on to him.

"It was an honor serving with you, Commander Natal of the Illuminate. Keep humanity together. Don't let anyone destroy-"

His transmission was lost when a series of explosions ripped his cockpit apart. A second large explosion followed when his ACU detonated under the fire of Seraphim units. Akima felt it too and she also felt something else, in her heart. A horrible feeling when she realized he was gone. But it was the Cybran Commander working with Kendra who put her thoughts into words.

"They killed him!" his angry voice bellowed over the com. "Those filthy animals!"

"_The Way_ will provide," Kendra muttered under her breath. "You will not be forgotten, Joshua Starke of the United Earth Federation." She turned her attention to everyone on the com. "We're not giving up! We're gonna try it again and this time we'll be prepared. We will not let them take any more innocent lives."

The naval fleet including the Aquatics ships was still intact and retreating. They had to try this again one more time. The enemy was advancing again, new hordes of tanks and bots on their way to obliterate their base. They had to survive under their constant assaults until the next wave was ready. They had to succeed, for the sake of everyone on the planet.

_T minus zero hours…_

She was almost done. Eight hours of uninterrupted battle and her second defensive line was still standing strong. Akima was tired. The constant battles were taking their toll. The enemy was constantly shifting strategies but their main focus seemed to be to prevent a second major attack. They had been attacking the base more ferociously than ever. It was hard to build an army as they attacked the units too. But Kendra and her Cybran fellow Commander had been gradually shifting to offense as well. Several smaller attacks on the enemy base had succeeded and to a certain degree that they managed to take out their _Yolona Oss_ Experimental Missile Launcher. That thing wouldn't be launching any more nukes. It was one of their most dangerous weapons. If even one of those missiles managed to hit the base, it would wipe everything out, including the ACU's. Akima wiped a trickle of sweat from her forehead. The clock had reached zero. She was done and when Kendra contacted her she prepared herself for a recall. But Kendra's expression was serious when her face appeared on screen. Akima could feel it. This wasn't the end yet.

"How're you doing Akima?" she asked with a wry smile.

"I'm just a little tired, that's all. What's up?"

"We had a situation a moment ago. Apparently another Seraphim Commander decided to wipe out a city so I needed someone to defend it. It was the Commander who was supposed to replace you." She sighed. "That means I'm one men short and as you've experienced for yourself, we already have our hands full. I'm gonna have to ask you to hold on just a little longer until we can get a replacement down here. Do you think you can manage that?"

Akima sighed. Squeezing her eyes firmly shut for a moment, a storm of thoughts blew through her mind. If she quit now, the Coalition forces lost a vital piece in their defense. I could cause them to lose the battle. Then all they had done today had been for nothing and then the Seraphim were also one extra step ahead of them. She couldn't take that risk.

"All right, I'll do it. But I'm not sure for how long I can keep this up."

"You've done even better than I could wish for. I've asked Patterson to assist you. You two can watch each other's backs. If you start to feel dizzy, take a stim. You'll feel much better."

"A-a stim?"

Was Kendra asking her to take drugs to keep her going?

"It can save your life. If you can't focus on what you're doing, you're dead."

"All right, I'll keep it in mind."

_Damn it, this is going too far. _Blasting another mech to bits with her Quantum Disruptor Cannon, she began to wonder what Cale was doing at the moment. Knowing him he probably joined the fight against the Seraphim on Earth. She fights, so he fights too. Shaking the thought out of her mind, she forced herself to focus. Anything was better than taking stims to stay awake.

_T plus one hour…_

Still fighting. She still hadn't been relieved. The final push would begin soon. Several enemy forward defensive stations had been taken out by their attacks. But they wouldn't let themselves be taken out so easily. About half an hour ago, a squadron of enemy transports had managed to drop several squads of units into the base. They hadn't seen that coming. Two factories and a couple of resource producing structures had been taken out. It was nothing serious but Kendra had immediately ordered to strengthen the anti-air defenses. They couldn't let them get through now.

_T plus two hours…_

"Lynn, you there?"

"I'm here, what's up?"

She was starting to feel kind of fuzzy. It was in the early evening and the sun was starting to go down. Her body felt like it had just been walked over by an ACU. _This cockpit can never be comfortable enough_. Her arms and legs felt heavy. She didn't know for how long she could keep operating the giant machine.

"Lynn, I'm gonna take that stim. If I start acting weird, ask Kendra to shut me down."

"Rest assured. I'll keep my eye on you."

Opening the small compartment she took a stim and removed the protective cap. It looked like a hypospray but she was still a little hesitant to inject it. _What about side-effects? _Unfortunately it was a risk she had to take. Tilting her head to the side she pressed the device against the bare skin of her neck and pressed the small button on top. The moment the chemicals were injected straight into her bloodstream she felt like something exploded inside of her. A burst of energy that raced through her entire body and gave it its strength back. Suddenly she felt very warm and she started to sweat but furthermore she felt fine, better than before. She saw things more clearly now, the fuzzy feeling disappearing in a second. She could think straight again.

"Lynn, I'm fine. That stuff really helps."

"Good to hear. Keep at it. Kendra's starting the final assault soon."

_T plus three hours…_

It will be over soon. How often had she heard that phrase today? She was starting to think it would never end. But they had to win this battle. The lives of so many depended on it. The attack force was ready and on the move. It was time for the final push.

"Everyone keep an eye on your radar. I don't want any surprises," Kendra grumbled. She was in a bad mood just like pretty much everyone else. It was time to put an end to this. The Cybran Commander had led his forces to the enemy base and started the attack, meeting little resistance at this point and again Kendra didn't trust it as she let the others know. "Be on guard. They might have a few tricks left."

Fighting off the last of the attackers on the base, Akima kept a constant eye on her tacmap. At every point in time something could happen that could seriously alter the course of the battle.

"I've got something," someone said over the com. "It's definitely large. Check you radar!"

Kendra cursed. It was a word Akima didn't know but it was more than justified. In the distance, a few clicks from their position, something massive flew through the sky. Its hull shimmered in the late afternoon sun and it was approaching them at astonishing speed. Using her HUD to zoom in, Akima noticed there were actually two of them. _Are those things aircraft or space ships? _Whatever it was, they were huge and the computer identified them as _Ahwassa _Experimental Bombers.

"We've got two _Ahwassa_'s coming in! Get your anti-air ready and make sure your shields are at full strength!" Several squadrons of aircraft were unleashed upon the approaching enemy bombers. But they were tough and armed with powerful AA Cannons themselves. The two massive aircraft changed course and suddenly, in the moment Akima's hearts skipped a few beats, she knew what they were up to. She realized it at the same moment her superior noticed. "They're starting an attack run on the city! Brace for impact."

They could do little but watch it happen. During their run over the city the two bombers each dropped a massive ball of crackling energy that curved toward the barrier of shields protecting the city. The anti-air defenses around the perimeter fired a continuous stream of missiles at their flying targets but didn't succeed in taking them down on their first run. When the two bombs made contact with the transparent bubbles, a massive blinding flash accompanied by a double explosion that shook the planet to its core followed. Trees were pulled from the earth and disintegrated and the buildings of the city close to the impact area on the shields were ripped apart by the destructive force. Akima looked away from her HUD for a moment as it happened right in front of her.

"Shields are starting to buckle! They can't take another hit like that!"

The bombers turned around for a second run. A squadron of interceptors and air-superiority fighters was on its way but it was too late. The first bomb hit the shields and broke through while the second one hit the center. One of the bombers was shot out of the sky and now rapidly made its way to the ground. In its way was Akima, in her ACU, watching the crashing machine come closer and closer at breathtaking speed. The bombs detonated. The intensity of the light blinded her. She heard people yelling over the com, telling her to get away. Trying to shield her eyes from the blast and the impending impact she cried out in panic. It had happened to her once before in training. This time however it was real.

It was in the middle of the Sogowan night when Kendra finally returned to the _Spirit of the Way_. Having adapted their timetable to the planet's local time, most of the crew were asleep except for those with nightshifts.

"What a day," she muttered under her breath as she walked the corridor to the training hall.

She was exhausted. Her battle suit stuck to her body with sweat and her whole body felt stiff from sitting in the same position for a whole day. She didn't expect anyone training at the moment but she just couldn't resist checking the computer to see how the Mantrin rookies performed today. It was one of many things on her mind. Fortunately Akima made it out of that crash alive. She had followed her advice and made the necessary modifications to her ACU to increase its sturdiness. The machine was heavily damaged by the crash of the bomber but the cockpit was still intact. Akima had been knocked out by the blow but she lived through it and was recovering in the infirmary. She would be back on her feet soon. The mission however was a different story. The city was all but completely destroyed by that miserable attack but at least the Mantrins had their revenge. Her fellow Cybran Commander was furious and utterly vanquished the enemy base. Unfortunately its Commander, Quan-Thanamow, escaped his blazing fury and recalled at the last moment. The Coalition base on the surface however was now permanent and served as their primary staging area. It was one step in driving the enemy off planet. But they turned out to be stronger than she expected and she hoped, for the sake of the inhabitants, that this wouldn't be one of those long struggles. It wouldn't be the first time a whole planet was destroyed or rendered uninhabitable by the Seraphim.

When she arrived in the training hall the computer automatically turned up the lights a few notches. As expected, no one was there, or was there? Raising a brow she walked toward one of the simulators on the right. Approaching the device, she was surprised to find it was indeed still active. _Strange. _Who would be training at this hour? But when she checked the computer, there was no simulation active and the last one ended a little over an hour ago. However there was still someone inside. _Fallen asleep perhaps?_ First she thought about leaving and letting whoever it was finish his or her training. But then she became a little curious and decided against it. No one should be training in the middle of the night. Her Commanders needed their rest. Using her own override codes she unlocked the simulator. When the pod swung open, she was stunned. _She_ was perhaps the last one she had expected. The screens in front of her were still active. Obviously she had won whatever fight she had been into and it had strained her to the limit. Inside the pod was Stith, fallen asleep after a tiresome battle, her chest slowly going up and down with the rhythm of her breathing. At the same time they had been fighting for the lives of _her_ people, she had done everything to prove her superior wrong and show her what she was capable of. It struck Kendra in some way. This woman was prepared to do anything to save her people. Despite the heated discussions they had with each other, Kendra had to admit she was proud of her. She didn't know if she should wake her but eventually she did by gently shaking her muscular shoulder.

"Stith, it's me. Is everything all right?" The alien woman flicked an ear in her sleep but didn't react. She shook again and this time she seemed to realize someone was trying to wake her up. Carefully opening one copper-colored eye and then the other she stared at Kendra for a second, dizzy from sleep. Groaning softly she rubbed an eye with her fist. "Are you all right?"

Stith nodded and flashed her a faint grin.

"I did it. I won the battle," she said softly, too tired to speak.

"C'mon, let's get you to a more comfortable place to sleep." Slowly, Stith climbed out of the simulator, carefully trying her large triple-jointed legs, which didn't feel as stable as they used to feel. Firmly squeezing her eyes shut for a moment, she shook her head, her ears flapping. When she opened her eyes again Kendra smiled, something she hadn't seen from her yet. "I'm proud of you."

Stith chuckled softly and yawned loudly, her beak wide open.

"Did you get my message to Akima?"

"She's waiting for you to join her."

"How did she do today?"

Kendra started walking toward the exit. Stith followed her. It was time to get some well-earned rest.

"She fought with a determination that might even surpass yours. But-"

"But what?" Stith asked when Kendra didn't finish her sentence.

"Something happened. The enemy attacked us at the last moment. She's in sickbay."

"What?"

Stith was completely awake in an instant.

"She's fine really. The explosion knocked her out but it's nothing serious." When she turned around she saw anger flickering in Stith's eyes. Akima and Stith were best friends and though she could probably never be on such terms with an alien, she understood the Mantrin's anger. Kendra heaved a sigh and signaled her to follow. "Let's find you some quarters."

"No, no. Just return me to the surface. Knowing my mate he's worried sick about me. Besides, we'll probably both sleep better next to each other."

I understand" Kendra said, switching directions at the last moment to take her to the quantum teleporters.

It was the middle of the night when she stood before the bedroom doors. Had she felt tired just a moment ago, now she was wide awake, the main thing on her mind being Akima. She hoped her friend was all right. She fought with such determination and for her people. Blowing out her breath, she gently pushed open the door and stepped inside the dark bedroom. The bed was not empty and its single occupant was snoring softly. The sound made her smile. At least he could sleep, despite her absence. She wanted nothing more than crawl into the bed next to him and sleep but now she realized she was still wearing the battle suit and she could use a shower too. Trying to be quiet, which was especially difficult for her species, she made it to their private bathroom on her toes, careful not to wake her mate. _Maybe I'll get myself a midnight snack too._

About an hour later, after freshing herself up, fixing herself something to eat and brushing her teeth afterwards she stepped into the bed next to her sleeping mate. She didn't even dare to look how close to morning it already was. _Better get some sleep when I still can._ Turning around, her face away from Kero, she closed her eyes.

"_Just a few tiny hours" _she thought as she drifted off to sleep.


	39. Chapter 36 1500 Meters Above the Earth

**1500 Meters Above the Earth**

Stith was glad Kendra told her she could join the rest of the rookies after midday, cause when she opened her eyes, she had the feeling she barely slept, though it was certainly a couple of hours since she finally went to bed. She was woken up by the sun, its warm rays touching her face. The gentle gesture was not appreciated. Stith grumbled in protest and pulled the sheet over her head, letting her arm fall beside the bed. She was unaware that Kero was already awake. Staring at the grunting bulge, that was his mate in a bad mood, he smiled. Slowly, he approached her, crawling toward her on his arms. She wasn't going to like this but -unaware about what Kendra told her- he thought she missed her training. Carefully, he brought his head under the sheet and whispered in her ear.

"Morning sweetheart, it's time to wake up." Stith, who totally didn't expect it was shocked at first and responded in a rather hostile way. Growling angrily, she pulled the sheet from her head and turned around to face him, her eyes flickering. But when he simply smiled, she just gave him her dangerous look and stared, without a word. "Whoa, I know you're a little grouchy in the morning but by Kirliya."

The expression on her face softened a little. Rolling on her back, she breathed a sigh.

"Kendra told me I could take the morning off. I fought a battle yesterday unlike any I've ever fought."

"Are you all right? I was a little worried about you. It was already past midnight."

"Figures." She groaned, yawned loudly and stretched herself out, hearing a joint or two pop. After shooting a quick glance at her chrono, she squeezed her eyes shut and groaned once more. Then she pushed herself up to a sitting position on the bed, throwing the sheet off of her. "I better get going. I just wanna make sure Akima's all right. Kendra told me she was injured yesterday."

"Is she all right? What happened?" Kero asked with genuine concern in his voice.

He was sitting too now.

"Some kind of last desperate attack. Cowards."

Kero let out a breath through his nose.

"I know. I've got a lot on my mind too, besides worrying about you. How are we supposed to raise kids like this? They're destroying our world. The world in which our children are supposed to grow up."

Stith sighed and stood up, making her way to the adjacent bathroom.

"Better not think about that right now."

Sometime later, she considered herself ready once again, both physically and mentally. The battle suit was surprisingly comfortable to wear, even for her species. She was standing on the balcony adjacent to the throne hall, overlooking the city, enjoying the marvelous sight. They had to make sure it stayed that way. It was still a bit early but that way she could check up on Akima first. Her human friend was putting her life at risk to save her world. Only a true friend would do such a thing. It was an example of how much their friendship was worth. The hand she suddenly felt on her shoulder was her dad's and it would've startled her if she hadn't heard him coming.

"Hey, where have you been? You had me worried last night."

Ganyu smiled faintly but she could see the concern in his eyes, and the relief that she was still here. She understood. Her father's greatest fear was losing her again and with her the only thing on this world he still loved. He was strong but losing his only daughter forever would break him for sure.

"It's fine dad, really. I've never fought a battle like that before. Though it was just a simulation, it was very intense."

"Guess you're gonna be away a lot eh?"

"I'm sorry dad, but I have to do this."

He looked away.

"I know. Our world… I hope we can stop them."

"_I_'ll stop them," she said firmly.

Her dad's eyes made contact with hers again.

"But be careful, when you take off your training gloves." He smiled. "I know you can do it." He shook his head and chuckled. "By Kirliya, you are your mother in every way. Strong, stubborn and always ready to fight." When he realized he hit a rather sensitive topic -because she didn't reply- he was glad when Kero showed up. He was dressed in uniform and seemed ready to go too. "I'll leave you two alone."

"Thanks dad, I love you."

"And I love you too, my daughter."

Those were his last words and with one last look over his shoulder he left. His presence was replaced by Kero, who looked at Ganyu when he left. Then he turned his head toward Stith. By the expression on his face, she could tell, he had to tell her something and he wasn't sure she would like it. She could read him like an open book and he knew it.

"You dad loves you very much."

"I know, I love him too. What's up Kero? You seem worried."

"No, no, it's nothing. You should go, but there's something I gotta tell you before you go."

"What?"

"I eh… I'm gonna be off world, maybe for a few days. Our world is not the only one that's been attacked and it now turns out that those Seraphim have amassed a large fleet. The _Son of the Empire_ has been ordered to join the fight in the Tyssar sector. I'm sorry."

One moment she was simply staring at him. The other she flung both arms around his neck and hugged him tight.

"Please come back soon."

"I'll try."

He held her just as tight and licked behind her ear. It was time to go.

When she arrived on the _Spirit of the Way_ by quantum teleporter she still had ample time to check up on her friend. She would be glad to see her, or at least a familiar face. On her way to the sickbay of the Illuminate vessel, she hardly saw anyone. It was awfully quiet aboard the ship. Most of Kendra's Commanders were on the surface but where was the rest of the crew? Kendra's people were very spiritual, guided by their belief. Maybe the whole ship was praying or something. _The Way_ was said to bring peace between those who embraced it. Normally she would have been quick to discard it as spiritual nonsense. But Kendra's people, the people aboard this ship, they fought in a way unlike anything she had ever seen before. But this floating sanctuary created the illusion that they weren't capable of fighting at all. It was so peaceful, quiet. She was curious. _They believe in peace, yet they fought a thousand year war. _She was so caught up in her thinking that she nearly walked by sickbay, until the sound of the doors opening snapped her out of it.

She entered a sterile-looking environment, very clean, very bright, it made her fall out of tone, especially with the doctors and nurses, who blended in perfectly with their white coats. The place was quite large but most of the beds were empty, untouched, fortunately. Every bed was monitored by advanced sensors, which had their readings displayed on large translucent screens above the patient's head. As she walked in, the nurse caring for the patient closest to her, turned her head to see who came in but didn't say anything. Looking for her friend, she walked further, until one of the doctors blocked her way.

"I'm sorry… ma'am, but you're not allowed to go in here."

Stith frowned and flattened an ear.

"So I'm not allowed to visit my friend?"

It wasn't her intention to sound or look threatening but it did have that effect as the man didn't reply immediately.

"Every one of my patients is in need of rest. Some of them have fought battles that lasted for nearly a day."

"Stith!"

It was Akima's voice. Flashing the doctor a smile, she simply stepped past him and toward her friend. She sat upright, a big pillow supporting her back, thick bandages covering her head but she still smiled.

"By Kirliya, are you all right? What happened?"

"Shhh! Quiet!" one of the nurses snarled.

Sinking through her knees beside Akima's bed, so she was at equal height, she gently touched the other side of her head.

"It really isn't as bad as it looks, trust me," Akima said, trying to calm her friend down. Her voice was almost a whisper. "I can take the bandage off today. We better keep our voices down. Everyone in those beds is here for a reason."

"I understand."

Akima laughed softly.

"This is the second time I need patching up after battle. And I hurt my head again."

"Are you sure you wanna keep doing this?"

Feeling Stith's warm hand on her arm and seeing the look of concern in her eyes, she knew Stith would see right through a lie if she told one. And she would be lying if she said yes. But despite what happened, she was doing well. They needed her here. And if she quit now it would have all been for nothing.

"I've got to" she replied eventually.

"You don't have to do anything."

"Then we'll do it together."

Stith sighed and bit her lip.

"I just don't want anything serious to happen to you."

"Hey, that was your idea. Two heads are better than one right?"

Stith laughed.

"Right. But be more careful next time" she said soft but clearly, shaking Akima's shoulder in a friendly way.

"I will, I will." She squeezed Stith's hand. She was glad her friend had come to see her. Lynn stopped by this morning too. She almost blamed herself but it wasn't her fault. What could she have done to stop that bomber from crashing? "Hey, aren't you supposed to be training? I thought everyone began early again today."

"Oh, well Kendra gave me the morning off, cause I sort of, overtrained yesterday. But I did win that battle and I bet she didn't expect that." Stith's face was all cocky grin when she said that. Typical. Not only could Stith claim she was the best, but no one could accuse her of not backing up her words either. "But you're right. It's time for me to go."

She was just about to stand up and say goodbye, when her wristcom chimed.

"Stith here."

"Princess, am I glad I could still reach you. You might wanna come down here."

It was Che'kan and that could only mean one thing.

"Yes?"

"There's a crack in the shell of one of the eggs."

"What about my mate?"

"I'm also glad I could still catch him before his ship left. He's down here with me."

"I'm on my way."

When Stith looked at her friend, she could see she was happy. Happy for her.

"D'you wanna come with me?"

It was strange but she wanted to share this moment with her so badly. She would love it but it seemed like it had to wait.

"I don't think my doctor approves. I'm gonna be in this sickbay for at least another day." Stith was clearly disappointed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's not your fault."

"C'mon, what're you waiting for?" she encouraged her. "They're your children. You're their mom. You're the first face they're supposed to see."

"You're right." She was already on her way toward the exit when she excitedly yelled: "You'll see them soon! I promise!"

Stith had never felt so excited before. The moment she was transported back to the palace, she felt her own hearts beating in her throat, her legs feeling unsteady and when she raised her hand to look at it, it quivered slightly. _This is ten times worse than before battle. _She smiled, wondering how Kero felt at the moment. He had been so looking forward to this. And now the moment was finally there. She didn't want to miss it for anything so she quickly made her way to the infirmary. When she arrived there, Kero was waiting for her, his bright blue eyes glittering with joy. He, his parents, Ganyu, Che'kan and Rajah had gathered around the sickbay bed on which she had delivered. The bed was covered with towels and the two brown eggs had been placed in the middle. The second one had cracks in its shell too and those who looked closely could see them moving, the tiny little creature inside trying to free itself from its protective environment.

"You're just in time," Kero breathed in her neck. Standing between his massive legs, he held her with his strong arms. She noticed he held her tighter than normal. He could barely restrain his excitement. His muscles tensed even more when another crack appeared in the shell of the egg closest to them. It slowly rolled to its side and then suddenly, a tiny clawed foot driven by a powerful leg kicked a piece of shell away. A soft squeak sounded from inside the egg. The tiny foot started to explore its new environment, trying to find something to hold on to. Nobody moved. The little hatchling had to do this by him or herself. "C'mon, little one. You can do it," Kero encouraged. Shortly thereafter, the second leg kicked itself free. The other egg started moving now too, as if this child could feel the presence of its sibling trying to free itself. Now it was time to hatch. There was first a leg and then an arm. Then suddenly, the first egg cracked all the way and with a last kick of both legs the shell splintered. In the middle of the pieces, a tiny Mantrin girl laid on her back, staring into the world with little innocent bright blue eyes. Her skin was a light brown color with darker spots around her hips and waist. Instead of crying, which most newborn children did, she produced a soft squeal and slowly rolled on her belly, whipping her little tail. "Ah, she's so cute," Kero cooed. "And I'm her father."

Stith didn't say anything but she thought just the same. Such a beautiful little girl, a tiny little princess. And she had a life ahead of her that most children could only dream of. The second egg shattered too, revealing a just as cute little boy. He laid on his back too and produced a sound that sounded like a cackle but very high-pitched. The color of his skin was more like his father's but slightly lighter and the eyes were the color of amber, almost topaz. He was just a beautiful as his little sister who was trying to stand on her own legs. But she couldn't walk yet and fell softly on her bottom, a surprised expression on her face that made everyone in the room laugh. Stith slowly released herself from Kero's tight grip and walked up to them. When she made eye contact with the infants, something happened. They knew she was their mother. Some sort of recognition, even though they hadn't seen her with their own eyes yet. It was hard to describe but they stared at her with fascination. Sinking through her knees beside the bed, she folded her arms over each other and placed them on the edge of the bed, resting her head on top. First there was a bit of hesitation but then slowly, they crawled toward her on their arms and legs, cackling softly. The girl was the first to reach her and very gently, she stuck out her tiny hand and touched her mother's muzzle. It was sweet to see. She and her brother were so small and Stith so big. Kero joined her quickly. He didn't want to miss a single moment. Sitting on his knees next to his mate he laughed back when his son cackled happily.

"They're so beautiful," he said quietly, trying not to scare them by using his powerful voice.

"I know," she replied, her eyes glittering with moist. "Hey, what's wrong?"

He gently stroke her back when he heard the sadness in her voice. She shook her head and sighed.

"I don't know, it's just… I wanna be there for them, to be their mom. I don't wanna go out there anymore."

"You don't have to. You can stay here, with them if you want."

"No."

She quickly wiped her eyes. The children sitting in front of her had fallen silent, staring at her with sagged ears, as if they could feel her sadness.

"I've gotta do this. We've gotta make this world a safe place again, for them."

"Yeah, they're so tiny." Kero smiled, gently touching his son's beak with a finger that was nearly as big. Moving away from the bed, he looked into his parent's eyes. "Mom? Dad? Can you, you know, take care of them while we're away?"

The'lah sighed but smiled.

"I told you Kero. Being a parent isn't easy. But as their grandmother I can't refuse. I would love to, right dear?"

She nudged Zahn, who nodded quickly.

"What about you, dad?" Stith asked.

Ganyu smiled weakly.

"Well eh, they're gonna call me grandfather one day. And maybe I can give being a dad another try."

"You are a good father dad, you just don't realize it."

"Thanks," he replied gratefully.

In the mean time Kero had picked up his son and cradled him in his arms while their little daughter was pulling Stith's battle suit. Getting rid of the protective layer of the suit, she gently scooped up the little girl and cradled her to her chest. She smiled, gently rubbing her nose to the girl's naked chest, making her cackle with joy. The boy however began to moan softly and pulled his father's uniform shirt.

"Aaah, what's wrong?" Kero asked gently.

"Their tummies are empty, that's what's wrong," The'lah said. As a mother of two kids herself she knew these things. It was time for their first bottle of milk, unless…. The'lah stepped toward her and gently touched her finger to the girl's cheek, making her cackle. "Stith, do you wanna breastfeed them?"

"Eh…"

She didn't know what to say. She wasn't sure about it.

"I-I'm not sure if I can do that."

The'lah placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Of course you can. It's better for them too. It makes them stronger. I'll help you if you wanna give it a try. You don't have to do it every time they're hungry. Just once a day."

"All right," Stith decided.

The'lah turned around, raising her voice slightly.

"Now everyone except for the new parents, get out. This is a mother's thing."

"Hey, don't keep us in suspense," Rajah complained. "We wanna know their names. You've kept it a secret all the time."

Stith and Kero looked at each other for a moment. Rajah was right. It was time to reveal what they had kept secret till the last possible moment.

"You tell them."

"No, you tell them."

Kero sighed and smiled.

"All right. It took us a very long time to come up with a couple of good names and it's actually since yesterday that we made a final decision." He took a deep breath. "We decided to follow the wise words of an old woman and it really helped. Thank you Meya."

"Kero," Stith grumbled.

"All right, all right. From now on Jalla and Nalu are part of our family."

Day two on the _Icarus_ and Cale still hadn't adjusted quite yet to life aboard the giant mobile airbase. It was an impressive piece of engineering, the perfect blend between Republic and Coalition technology. During his stay however he had learned that the _Icarus _was merely a prototype and that two more of them were under construction and would be finished soon. However that was not all. The _Icarus _was the first _working _prototype, a design study of what would become a fully automated and more deployable version of the giant aircraft. The final design would even have a production facility aboard, capable of producing all but the most complex of Coalition aircraft. Besides being too complex to build and deploy rapidly on the field of battle, the _Icarus_ still lacked such a facility and received reinforcements in the form of aircraft from the production facilities on the ground. However the airbase was almost loaded to its maximum capacity. Several squadrons of _Dominators_ and tons of Coalition gunships, fighters and bombers formed the air armada standing on the triple-layered flight deck of the carrier. Next to all these planes, the entire _Valkyrie_ crew had been transferred to the _Icarus_ as well. It was one hell of an adjustment and despite being similar in some ways, a major difference from operating a starship.

"All right, take us to two-thousand feet and prepare for deployment."

That was Captain Mitchell, one of two Commanding officers of the _Icarus_. He was one half, Korso the other and they seemed to like each other from the start. Jack Mitchell was a typical UEF officer, in his forties, blue-greenish eyes, blond hair, short beard and a strong love for his former faction. He had already promised his crew that today they would strike a major blow against the Seraphim. Several Commanders, lead by Cybran Commander Keith Shattan would attack a large Seraphim base. This base in particular was a little close to the _Heliopolis_ and with so many people in one place, they couldn't take the risk. During their ground assault, the _Icarus_ would provide air support, which they were gonna need for sure.

Cale sat in a comfortable chair in the primary command tower, behind a console with several translucent screens linked to every system. If something was wrong, a large overview display would show exactly what and where. Since most systems were automated, including the repair systems, most problems could be solved by the push of a button. The bridge was huge, divided into three levels, the top level in the back, the bottom level in the front. Large panoramic windows surrounded the entire bridge, offering an excellent view of the sky around them. Not that they needed it for viewing, as the sensor array was one of the most sophisticated ones Cale had ever seen, and Gune had managed to find out how it worked in detail in under half an hour. He shared the console with Ensign Cho since not a single one of the Coalition officers seemed to be able to work with the alien without getting crazy. Every console was operated by at least two crewmen. Cale's partner was a woman. She looked pretty at first sight but she was a tough one and had already revealed to him that some of the _Icarus'_ systems had been designed by her. Other than that she had hardly spoken a word and was very curt when he asked something. So since she seemed to be more than capable of handling everything herself, his thoughts had been drifting off to other things -mostly Akima and Iji- the whole time. But now it was time for some action.

"Incoming transmission Captain. It's Commander Shattan."

Mitchell nodded. Shattan's android-like face appeared on a holographic screen. Cale couldn't help but fear the guy somehow. He was half machine. He even had an AI integrated into his brain. And everyone on this planet knew what happened during their last encounter with an AI. But for now he was on their side and maybe it was best to take that for granted.

"Commander Shattan, what's your status?"

"We're almost ready to begin the assault," the Cybran grumbled. "Be advised _Icarus_, intelligence has revealed that the Seraphim have a strong air force ready to counter your support. Do not, I repeat, do not attack the base on your own. You are ordered to provide support only. Wait for my signal to…" His voice trailed off as something seemed to have caught his attention. "What? Are you sure of that?" Cale looked over his shoulder at Korso. His Captain sat on the upper deck on Mitchell's right, sharing a console with Brian. A quick glance was enough. Something was not going according to plan. "The enemy has already begun a counterattack! Our forces haven't reached their optimal positions yet! Mitchell, launch your fighters but try to keep the _Icarus _out of the fight. We cannot afford to lose that critical part of our attack strategy."

"Aye Commander. All right guys, you've heard the man! Go to red alert status, activate shields and standby on all defensive batteries! This can get rough!"

As an alarm blared over the flight decks and through the hallways of the sky carrier, the entire crew and the craft itself readied for battle. Though the _Icarus_ was too large to shield completely, the critical components, such as the command towers and the engine nacelles were protected by powerful shields. They couldn't afford to lose those. If the platform tipped over it would come crashing down, the most disastrous scenario imaginable.

"Shields raised. All defensive batteries are active, Captain."

"Thank you Naomi."

"_So that's her name," _it flashed through Cale's mind.

Once you got to know her, the sweet girl's name wasn't so fitting anymore. She seemed entirely fixed on the screens in front of her and didn't even seem to care about having a partner.

"Main bridge to secondary tower, launch your fighters to hold off the attackers. We'll be handling the air support for Commander Shattan."

"Aye Captain."

"Incoming enemy aircraft, three o'clock high, range two clicks, getting a fix on our position."

"We're launching!"

While the _Icarus_ maneuvered into a better position to wear off the enemy attackers with her flak cannons and missile launchers, her flight decks trembled as several squadrons of aircraft left the hangar bays. One group veered off to assist Commander Shattan in his attack while the other moved to engage the incoming Seraphim attackers. The enemy squadrons consisted mostly of interceptors and some light attack bombers, covered by gunships. It was nothing they couldn't hold off but it was better to destroy them now than feel sorry later. The enemy fighters attacked, firing constant bursts with their powerful rapid-fire auto cannons. Cale could feel the _Icarus_ tremble as her powerful flak shot most incoming enemies to bits with a few shots. The sky around the platform was filled with aircraft, flak, missiles and other ordinance. They were flying low and below them, it rained planes. In the heat of battle, an aircraft came down almost every second. In the mean time Cale kept a close eye on the status displays, trying to ignore the spectacle outside.

"They're targeting our engines."

The platform trembled violently and when he shot a glance through the window, a crater had been blown into the upper deck. The remains of several destroyed planes had impacted on the tarmac as well.

"Don't let those bombers get close!" Mitchell ordered. "Mitchell to Shattan, status on the attack?" The transmission was severely distorted. The Seraphim were probably trying to jam and cut him off from support. "See if you can clear that up," Mitchell said with a nod towards Gune and Yani. "Commander Shattan, please repeat."

"We're starting the attack… We're counting… your support… _Ica_…"

They lost the transmission but Shattan's orders were clear.

"Get me a direct view of those squadrons." The holographic main viewer displayed Shattan and his Commanders and their army which was huge. Hundreds of tanks, bots, planes and several colossal experimentals marched over the surface of New Earth with only one goal in mind. The complete obliteration of the Seraphim base. In the mean time a smaller second army approached the base from the other side. The _Icarus_' objective was to provide air support to both armies and they were coming within range. As the battle on the ground started, the battle for domination of the sky continued. A powerful explosion shook the _Icarus_ and Cale could actually feel the massive sky ship trying to stabilize. A ball of fire spread across the right shield of their tower, creating a temporary miasma of bright orange light and heat on the bridge. "What was that?" Mitchell demanded to know.

"It looks like another wave of bombers sir. That one got destroyed and the wreckage collided with our shields."

"Right tower shield down to seventy-six percent," Naomi snarled. "I'm compensating."

"Again, don't let 'em get close!"

In the mean time the massive battle on the ground was in full swing and it seemed like Shattan and his team had the advantage. The Commander himself was sweeping through the enemy ranks with his Heavy Microwave Laser, turning multiple units into burning junk. The _Icarus_' squadrons passed over the enemy ranks, taking down their aircraft, dropping bombs and creating chaos within. However, Cale noticed that these battles would eventually take their toll. Everything was burning, the whole ground cratered and blackened. The longer this war dragged on, the more damage New Earth would take. But, after the dust settled and most of the smoke was blown away by the wind, it was Shattan's army coming out victorious. They had suffered some losses but fortunately they were just machines.

"Shattan to Mitchell, enemy army has been crushed. I have the base within my sights. We're pressing forward, standby to…"

Suddenly the channel got filled with static again. And this time it got worse and worse.

"Commander Shattan. Keith, you're breaking up!"

They lost the signal.

"They're jamming us again sir."

"Damn it! They could be walking right into a trap. Do we still have contact with our squadrons?"

"Confirmed sir, but we better end this fast. I'm modulating the interlink frequency but if they manage to jam that too, Commander Shattan will have to rely on their onboard AI only."

"Then he better end this quickly."

The base was heavily defended. The Coalition army was being bombarded from a distance with artillery shells and tactical missiles making it extremely difficult to get close.

"Divert a couple of strategic bombers to take out those defenses! They're getting hammered down there!"

"Aye sir."

A few more squadrons of bombers, including the Illuminate _Shocker_, the Cybran _Revenant_ and the UEF _Ambassador_ left the launch bays, each with a massive payload of powerful bombs aboard. Joining them in formation was a group of _Dominators_, flanking, providing cover. Their rapid-fire laser cannons made short work of counterattacking fighters. As the bombers passed over the enemy base they dropped their bombs. A couple of them were shot down by enemy anti-air but at least they managed to take a huge chunk out of the defense. A series of powerful explosions, including a few nuclear ones marked the end of most of the turrets. In the mean time Shattan's army had reached the outer perimeter of the base, a storm of bolts, lasers, missiles and other projectiles destroying everything in their path. A couple of massive Spiderbots projected their heavy lasers ahead of them to clear the way. They seemed unstoppable, however there was one person in particular that didn't seem to agree with that. The main viewer flickered as a transmission forced itself through. The face that appeared actually made some crewmembers feel the urge to do a few steps back. Lizard-like, alien, the thin lips curved into a malicious grin revealing sharp teeth.

"You will never defeat usss, you fffilthy human ssscum!" he hissed.

Yani Cho let go of a sigh of relief when the alien ended the transmission. Even Gune seemed shocked, frightened maybe.

"Sir! Incoming transports!"

"Looks like he's trying it again!"

"I've lost contact with Commander Shattan, sir!"

"Get it back. And don't let those transports drop off their cargo!"

But it was too late as the large _Vishala_ transports were close. A few went down with their cargo, tumbling down helplessly to the Earth, but two managed to land on the platform and drop off their cargo: _Ilshavoh_'s! They opened fire, taking out parked aircraft and creating chaos on the landing deck.

"We're taking heavy damage!"

Naomi's voice was lost in the sound of explosions when the volatile energy collided with their tower shield. They weren't designed to withstand a punishment like that as she tried to make clear.

"Bomb them off the platform if necessary! They're tearing us apart!"

Apparently someone in the second tower responded lightning fast. A squadron of _Dominators_ strafed low over the platform, their laser cannons nailing the enemy assault bots. They exploded with loud bangs, sending debris all over the platform. The damage was already done however, their attack rendering the upper flight deck useless.

"Repair drones are active sir. But it'll take some time to clear up the mess."

"What about Shattan?"

"Still no luck. Something's still jamming us."

"Cale, see what you can do about it," Korso said calmly.

"I'm on it."

It was difficult and with the attack going on around them, he had trouble concentrating on the problem. Machines were his area of expertise but he had never worked with this tech before. His fingers danced over the console as he tried to re-establish contact with the surface but without any luck so far. And in the mean time they had no idea what was going on down there. _Damn, these systems are complex. _

"Sir, I'm detecting a massive power buildup on the surface!"

"What?"

Suddenly, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The main viewer activated by itself and Cale could feel his head turn toward it. His fellow crewmembers did the same. The face of the Seraphim Commander reappeared, this time twisted into a mask of anger. His voice was razor-sharp, cutting like a blade.

"I refussse to be defeated by the likesss of you!"

"Strategic launch detected."

There was some sort of flash and it took a few seconds for the sound of a tremendous explosion to reach them. Everyone knew what happened down on the surface. The reality of it hit them just like the shockwave hit the _Icarus_, throwing the giant sky carrier off course. Cale had trouble staying in his seat, just like the rest of the bridge crew as the platform had trouble stabilizing.

"Engines two and five are losing power!"

"Compensate!"

"We're losing altitude! Rerouting more power to one and six!"

"Contact Shattan! I wanna know what the hell happened."

Whatever happened on the surface, the jamming problem seemed to have solved itself.

"Sir, I've re-established contact with the surface," Cale said, as every connection that was jammed before suddenly cleared up.

"Report!"

"I can't seem to find our squadrons."

"That's because our squadrons are gone," Yani added. "I'm detecting a few faint power signatures."

"Hail them!"

Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief when Commander Shattan's face appeared on screen. The transmission was distorted and his ACU was probably in bad shape after that blast but he was alive.

"I expected something like that," he growled. "Tried to pull a similar stunt on Commander Natal's forces yesterday, or so I heard."

"What happened?"

"We didn't get him. He recalled at the last moment; detonated a nuke inside his base before we could capture him. He's gone."

"Blast it," Mitchell grumbled.

"We're holding steady at twelve-hundred feet sir."

"Do you need any assistance?"

"It may look worse than it is Captain Mitchell. We'll be on our way shortly. Everyone standby to RTB."

"Copy that. Let's head home."

Later that day on the surface, Cale sat across Korso, sharing a drink with him in _The Lighthouse_. Both their faces stood serious. It was remarkably quiet in the establishment, especially for this part of the day. The people currently occupying the chairs and spots at the bar were mostly officers, humans and aliens alike. The war seemed to have brought with it a general mood of gloominess. Nobody was laughing; they were all talking quietly, as if afraid that someone would catch their words.

"So, what do you think Cale?"

After taking a sip from his glass of cold beer, Cale bowed closer to the man.

"What do I think?" he whispered. "I think what we've seen a few hours ago proves that they don't give a damn about anything. They'd rather destroy this planet than give it up. If this whole conflict carries on much longer we won't have a planet left to fight for."

Korso sighed.

"Have a little faith son. We just scored our first victory here."

"Yeah but at what cost? What if they'd fired that missile at the city instead?"

"Preventive measures have been taken to stop a direct attack on all settlements."

Cale shook his head. He remembered something Akima told him at least a dozen times. About getting along with each other and work together on a better future for everyone. Maybe it _was_ too good to be true. There were always people who thought of themselves as better than others.

"Cale? Shall we take a break from all this? I've got an idea. Let's get your sister and Gune and then we'll look up a nice restaurant, my tab. Whadda ya say?"

He chuckled softly, emptying his glass, already wishing Akima was here to join them.

"You know, that's probably the best idea I've heard this whole day."

Kero didn't understand what was so funny. The nursery had everything their children needed. It was a colorful place next to their bedroom in which infants had all the time in the world to play, explore and have fun. His eyes went from the tiny cackling Mantrin girl he was holding in his hands -that completely covered her small body- to her little brother sitting on the changing table next to her. She made laughing sounds and seemed to be having fun. Her brother stared at him, watching him act clumsily as he didn't know what to do, wishing he had paid better attention. It was diaper changing time.

"Eeeeeh Stith?"

A moment later his mate stood in the door opening, frowning, flattening an ear. She crossed her arms and leaned against the doorpost.

"It's your turn Kero."

"Yeah but, it's smelly."

Turning his head away, he carefully fiddled with her diaper, making a face, sticking out his tongue.

"Yeah, yours is smelly too. What else did you expect?"

He carefully put the girl down on her bottom and removed the safety pin just above the tail hole, allowing the diaper to be unwrapped. Eventually Stith couldn't take watching her mate act so clumsily anymore and walked up to them.

"It's really simple," she grumbled, gathering all the items her mate should have gathered _before_ he started.

Jalla was still cackling happily and Nalu crawled behind her back toward his mother to see what she was doing. Kero brought his face close to his little daughter's and playfully tapped with one finger on her muzzle.

"You are one smelly girl you know that?"

However she didn't seem to like that and decided to put her sharp teeth to good use.

"Aow! She bit me!" Kero yelped, pulling his finger back in an instant.

Stith looked over her shoulder at the glumly look on her mate's face. His finger didn't bleed but it sure hurt.

"That's because you're scaring her." She gently touched her muzzle to her daughter's which she liked. "Who is the big mean Mantrin? That's your daddy, yes."

She cackled again.

"I-I'm not mean. I'm doing my best."

Stith laughed.

"She has your eyes."

"And your attitude," Kero moaned.

"Watch closely," she said clearly. "And watch Nalu before he crawls off the table and injures himself. You know what? You can change his diaper while I change Jalla's."

"Hey, that's a good idea."

And so it happened. Removing the smelly diaper, cleaning their bottoms and putting on a new one. A few moments later they had two happy children with a new diaper. Now it was time to put them to bed. The cradles looked inviting. They had their names carved into the headboard and were as comfortable as possible.

"I'm sorry I scared you Jalla," Kero said softly before Stith put her to bed.

The little girl looked at him first and then gently touched his muzzle, as if trying to tell him that she was sorry for biting earlier. She and her brother looked so sweet in their pajamas and a rubber nipple in their little beaks. A few moments and some yawning later they watched them sleep, very peacefully, unaware of the dangers in the world beyond the walls of their room.

"Now, that wasn't so hard or was it?" Stith whispered as she left the room with him, leaving the door ajar.

The Mantry monitor was linked to both her and her mate's wristcom so if something was wrong they would know no matter where they went.

"Not really no," Kero mumbled.

Back in their bedroom he confronted her about the current situation. He didn't want to leave. He had only seen his children for barely one day.

"Rilas will come back tomorrow. Then I'll be taking command of the _Son of the Empire_. It's been a tough battle so far, or so I heard."

Stith was quiet. But when she replied she sounded angry.

"Don't do this to me Kero, or to them. Do not condemn them to a life without their father."

He embraced her firmly.

"I won't. I promise, really. I would never forgive myself if something happened to them and I could have been there to prevent it. I'll be back, don't worry." "You be careful too," he whispered in her ear. "At least you can still see them every day."

"I'll take good care of them."

"I never doubted that."


	40. Chapter 37 Is This the End?

**Is This the End?**

Five months later…

"Personal log, Cale Tucker, August 14th, 3045. I eh, I don't know where to start. This entry's gonna be the last one I make aboard the _Icarus_ cause tomorrow we'll be transferred back to the _Valkyrie_. I can't believe what happened between now and the moment I started keeping this log but eh, it's not looking good. These Seraphim, they're relentless. They've been constantly attacking us for months and the end is far from near. Despite a few victories at the start of this whole conflict, we've been pushed back further and further. It's been a struggle ever since. Even the Coalition says they're not sure if we can keep every planet the Seraphim have attacked so far. But if we fail to protect other worlds they will only grow stronger and our allies will continue to fall until there's no one left." He sighed. "I know we can't lose hope, but I'm beginning to ask myself, how long is this gonna take? It isn't hard to notice. It's in the air lately. Morale is kinda down. Every new day is a day of fear for most people and for us it's a new day of fighting. I've noticed a lot of people leaving. During a time like this, everyone wants to be as close to any family they have. They're leaving the planet, even though space travel is like walking through a snake pit at the moment. That reminds me of Akima too. Iji and I have been living without her for so long. On rare moments, we speak to each other via long range transmission. What a relief it is when I see her face again after those long periods of silence. I wanna get back to her. I want her to come back to me. I just don't want anything to happen to her. Every time she tells me that Stith has her back but I think she just says that because she doesn't want me to worry about her. I'm grateful though that she has found such a good friend in her."

He paused before continuing. It was hard to believe that the whole conflict lasted for five months already, even with reinforcements. Starfleet had trouble too and they had retreated most of their ships from this universe. They were needed in the fight. It was like the whole universe was tearing itself apart.

"Next to people leaving their worlds, the few planets that haven't been attacked yet are flooding with refugees. Solbrecht has become one of those safe havens once again and the government is not happy with it. Since a few days ago they've put a stop to it, even though the Republic objected. However they say they already have trouble enough controlling the amount they've already taken and that it's chaos down there." He sighed again. "I understand their situation but this is an emergency. We should try to get as many people as possible to safety. Lately, I've been asking myself, why did we create New Earth? To watch it being destroyed again, this time by another alien race? No, there's gotta be a way to beat these guys. We just need to find it. I think we should-"

"Cale, you comin'?"

"Computer, pause. Just a minute Cap' and I'll be there. Computer, resume recording. Where was I? Yes, I think we should pay 'em a visit. Find out from where they're controlling the whole operation. The good news is, we think we're on to them. The bad news is, we're gonna need a lot of firepower to get through. That whole area is so heavily patrolled and defended, we'll definitely lose a lot of ships and people in the process. I don't really wanna say this but, it might be a risk we'll have to take cause if this drags on for much longer we're gonna lose more, a lot more. We can't lose hope, not yet, cause if lose hope we will slowly lose ourselves. Computer, save recording."

With a sigh, he grabbed the bag carrying a few of the essentials inside, flung it over his shoulder and tossed one last look inside the quarters before he left. _Time to go home._ The _Icarus_ hadn't been his home in all that time. Maybe he spent the night a few times aboard the giant sky carrier but most of the time he went home, to Iji, but even there the bed was empty except for his body. But at least he had solid ground under him when he slept.

"Personal log, Joe Korso, August 15th, 3045. Well, the old girl is ready to go again. The _Icarus_ has been one hell of an adventure, and commanding her a huge challenge but it's time to go back to what I do best. In some ways it was similar to a spaceship but you always have to keep in your mind the fact that gravity will always be there to take you down if you make a mistake. We've been in a tight spot on more than one occasion but it's not like I'm not used to it or that I can't handle it. Those damned Seraphim sure know how to fight wars. I'm kinda worried about the people though, and the planet. She's suffering. If you look closely the scars are even visible from orbit. People are leaving every day and we're counting our losses in the war too. New Earth is no longer the safe haven it used to be. Once again Solbrecht is and once again they're reluctant to take more."

He sighed and leaned back in his comfortable chair on the main steering deck. It was early in the morning and the crew wouldn't show up for duty for about half an hour. Just him, the quiet and the scent of strong aromatic coffee whenever he inhaled the recycled atmosphere. This was his ship, his domain and he didn't have to share it with anyone else.

"Morning Captain!"

"Computer, pause." Except for Gune maybe. The small eccentric alien was perhaps the most innocent creature in the entire galaxy and beyond and always seemed be around, no matter if you liked it or not. But in all those years Korso had grown quite accustomed to his presence and he wouldn't venture into any unknown part of space without following a course plotted by Gune. A faint smile crept along his face when the alien climbed the stairs to the upper level, with an almost child-like expression of fun on his face. "Hey Gune, something you wanna say for the log?"

He nodded fiercely and laughed.

"Computer, resume recording."

"Gune glad to be aboard Captain's ship. Large sky ship beautiful and very fascinating but Gune is a little scared of big heights. He's afraid to fall off and here in space no heights so it's much safer."

"Nevertheless it was a job well done Gune. I'm proud of ya."

"Thank you Captain. Now Gune has to go back to work. Be very quiet so Captain can finish log recording."

As Gune began recalibrating the scanners Korso leaned back in the chair and sipped from his coffee.

"Space is a mess too lately. Warships, transports, refugee ships, the Seraphim have been attacking everything. We're trying our best to hold them off but their attacks seem to be increasing both in frequency and in strength. There's only one hope of stopping them. We've gotta find and destroy their base of operations. When that's gone, any Commanders on planets will be trapped and cut off from receiving reinforcements. If we don't we'll risk losing New Earth and many more planets. Current predictions estimate that we'll be driven off planet if we don't do something within the next few months. There's one more thing however. Computer, pause." He swiveled around on the chair to face a busy Gune. "Gune, you got that sensor data stored on our databanks?"

Sticking up his thumb, the alien squawked happily.

"Sure Captain. Gune's been busy analyzing it. It looks interesting but dangerous too, yes."

"Thank you Gune. Computer, resume recording. We've just received a few data sets from the science department. Command is worried about this new phenomenon that's been discovered about a month ago. A Republic science ship has discovered an area of space where the pure fabric of it seems to be breaking down. Extensive analysis has revealed some disturbing facts. They believe it could be a side-effect of our universe colliding with others. It could be a portal to another universe in a different form but it seems to be much more violent and destructive to its surroundings and space itself. And that's not even the worst of it. A few days ago, more of these strange fissures have been discovered in several other sectors. They're small but they seem to be slowly growing in size. They still don't know exactly what's causing it, or what would happen if they appear near planets or stars. The results could be catastrophic."

He heaved a long sigh and emptied his cup with a big gulp.

"If you ask me, it's one cartload of crap after another. But right now, we need to focus on other things. We've been ordered to join the fight just like practically every battle capable ship in the fleet. There's been an awful lot of scouting by the enemy near the Solbrecht system. A fleet has been gathered to protect it and we're gonna join the scouting party set up to serve as an early warning system. Solbrecht must not fall to the Seraphim or we could lose hundreds of millions of lives cause there're not near enough ships to evacuate all of those people seeking refuge on this one war free world. We've already seen it happen when we lost Akrennia a couple of days ago. There was nothing anyone could do. Just like what happened to us once, the Akrennians are now a people without a home. They've fled to their other colonies but Akrennia is now a completely Seraphim occupied world. There're plans to take it back but we can't afford to pull forces away from other worlds. We've gotta draw a line in the sand here and that's what we're gonna do. Computer, save recording."

Closing his eyes, he tried to enjoy the last moments of rest. The upcoming battle could decide the fate of a little over two billion people but he tried not to think about that. No matter the situation, as a Captain he was required to keep his head cool and his mind focused on the task at hand. He hadn't learned to do any different in the past fifteen years.

"Personal log, Akima Tucker, August 15th, 3045. Hi Cale. Hi Iji. I'm a little tired so I've decided to make this a recording for my log as well as a message to you. I don't know when this message will be delivered or when we can talk again so if it gets through at least you know I'm all right. Communication seems to be getting harder with every day. But for starters how are you? And how's New Earth? I've been getting all kinds of reports about what's happing out there and I don't think it's any better there than down here. I'm okay though and Stith's fine too but the war is not going well for us. Despite our greatest efforts, they've been pushing us back further with each passing day. Ta'keth has already seen the necessary precautions for an attack. Anti-nuclear facilities and defenses are in place but if they decide to attack we're gonna have a hard time holding them off. The city is huge and they can attack us from any direction."

She shook her head and told the computer to pause. The past few months had been hard. With each day she increased her experience, improved her skills in battle and did everything she could to stop them from advancing further but to no avail. Most cities had been evacuated long before the Seraphim could arrive but no one would ever forget what happened on June the seventh around half past four in the morning. A city, about a quarter the size of Ta'keth and all of its inhabitants, completely wiped off the face of the planet. It was the second time they launched an attack like that. No one had expected an attack on that city and according to Kendra that was why it was attacked.

"It was like a wave of misery that washed over our ranks," she said, continuing the recording. "Of course the Mantrins turned it into anger but I've never seen Stith like that. It was as if she was struck by lightning when the news reached us and every other Mantrin fighting with us was struck in the same way. It was horrible. All those people. It's like some kind of shock and awe campaign." She shook her head and sighed. "So we're preparing for an attack on Ta'keth. We know it'll come sooner or later. If they succeed… It's as if they know. Mantrins are such a proud people. It's like they're trying to break their spirit and if Ta'keth falls… But personally I don't think they'll give up. They're not like that. They'll continue to fight till their last breath. You should see the Emperor lately. He knows his people are suffering and instead of retreating to a safe location, he's staying down here, in the palace, with his people. Even though there's little he can do he's doing everything to protect them. And yes, before you ask, I'm spending the night down here more often lately. For some reason, Stith and Kero's family feel more human at the moment than Kendra's people. I'm more comfortable down here than up there even though the danger is right here. As I said, I'm fine but I miss you two. But the danger hasn't passed so I can't come home just yet. I'm sure you've heard already but I heard there are plans to attack the Seraphim directly at their primary base, wherever that may be. I hope they'll put a stop to their attacks soon cause the Mantrins might lose their homeworld if the war continues like this. As I said, I'm fine Cale but I miss you guys. I wish I could say I'll be back soon but I can't make a promise like that cause I'm not sure I'll be able to keep it. We're doing what we can here. The city must not fall. We've gotta few things prepared as a last resort but in this case the cure might be worse than the disease. I love both of you very much. I've gotta…" Her voice trailed off in a long yawn. Running a hand through her messy hair, she heaved a long sigh. "God, I feel so tired. Days are really starting to blur together. We're all in need of rest but everyone is needed. Everyone needs a break now and then. We're lucky Kendra trained a second group of Mantrin warriors after the first one passed the final test -and with flying colors I must say- cause if she hadn't, our lack of sleep would've been enough to knock us down. Of course Stith was among them. Even though she and Kendra got off on the wrong foot, they seem to like each other now and secretly, I think Kendra has grown a little fond of her. I've gotta go. I'm having trouble keeping my eyes open. I love you Cale, and I love you too Iji. Hope to see both of you soon."

"Ehm, hey Kero. How are you? You haven't been home for a long time and I can't help myself but feel worried about you. Every day is a new battle and this is more beginning to look like a struggle for survival. I hate the Seraphim. Everyday we're losing more ground. It's a mess down here, but I guess it's not much better up there. When we're not fighting we try to rest as much as possible, keep up our strength for the next battle ahead. During those breaks I find myself spending more and more time with Akima. Your dad even offered her a room in the palace which makes it even easier. We talk frequently, sometimes about the war and at some moments we try to forget what's going on outside the walls. I really enjoy those moments but every time I have to think about you. I miss you. We haven't talked for a while, mainly because those ficken aliens are jamming all communications. I hate those—Computer, pause." It was hard to record a message with two young children sitting on both your legs, who were just as eager to play as always. They just wouldn't sit still. "Jalla, Nalu, sit still. C'mon, your daddy wants to see you." But no matter what she tried, they kept trying to reach other in front of her chest. Stith released a sigh. They were too young to understand. "All right, go and play," she said with a laugh.

Lifting them off her thighs, she put them down on the floor and released them. They immediately began chasing each other, laughing, unaware of the situation their parents were in. Watching them play, she shook her head. It was just wrong. Kero couldn't even be there to watch them grow up, learn things, be there as their father. In their eyes the big strong Mantrin who could take on the whole world with ease. She felt so sorry for him. The last time he was home, the tears were in his eyes when he held them in his strong arms, saying they had changed to much. It was sad.

"Computer, resume. Sorry, I couldn't hold 'em anymore. They seem to grow bigger and stronger with every day. But that's the case with all children. Jalla's starting to become a real talker lately. Yesterday I heard from your mom that she learned another word: 'wee wee'. When she says that and holds her hands between her legs we know she needs to go potty. Well, that makes it a whole lot easier and it means we might get rid of the diapers soon. I don't know what it is but she's developed a little drooling problem lately. Doc says it might take some time to pass, something with her teeth developing and that kind of stuff, nothing to worry about. Another thing. The day after yesterday I was a little shocked when I came home. We still don't know exactly what happened but your mom told me Nalu fell on his head or something. They were playing together and she left them alone for just a minute and then it happened. I don't think Jalla did it but she heard a loud scream and when she made it back to their room, he was holding his head, crying. There were a whole lot of tears but the doc says it's fine. Nothing serious, just a bruise. It'll go over."

At that moment, the two little ones in question returned to the room they just left, crying with joy, chasing each other around her legs. She didn't know what kind of game they were playing, or if it even was a game at all but Jalla screamed so loudly when her brother caught her that it almost hurt her ears. Calling her name until she had her attention, she waited until the little girl looked at her. "Jalla, don't scream. You're hurting my ears." Jalla's right ear lowered a few inches and then they began chasing each other again, leaving the room. "You should hear her scream," she said, tapping the inside of her ear with a finger. "It's just a sign that they're having fun but it sure hurts your ears. Akima loves them too and they really seem to like her, though they're a bit too much for her I think. She even played with them a few times but I'm a little hesitant to leave them alone with her. She said it herself, they're much stronger then she expected and even thought it's meant in a playful manor, Jalla and even Nalu sometimes bite. Thought it doesn't bother me a lot when they do that, I hardly even feel it, they could injure her. No, I'm saying this wrong. It's not like they would hurt her on purpose. Our children are just a little different from human children."

She paused for a moment, staring to a point on the screen in front of her. So much had happened since the last time she sent her mate a message and got one back. He had promised her to be home soon. The ship needed repairs, the crew was in need of rest and according to him it was really beginning to show. Between battles the crew had trouble focusing on their tasks and everyone was cranky and on edge. Lack of sufficient rest had that effect on people and then such a big ship suddenly felt a little too cramped for the whole crew. It wasn't any different within their ranks.

"Time for me to get some sleep. I hope this message will reach you soon. I want you to come home Kero. I miss you. I need you."

"Personal log, Preed, seventh day since we lost Akrennia."

He fell silent straight after that first sentence. This day was just as dull and without changes as yesterday. It was so hard to except the reality of it. Akrennia was gone. Not entirely gone perhaps but conquered by the Seraphim. Their human allies had fought long and bravely but the enemy forces were overwhelming, their attacks quick and devastating. Now his race was one without a home and strangely, he cared about it. Even though Akrennia had been anything but a home to him in the past few years of his difficult life, he did mind. It was as if the atmosphere of misery aboard the ship he was on poisoned his mind, slowly breaking down the barrier of indifference around it. His privileges as a Commander granted him his own private quarters aboard the large warship of Ayko's father, Admiral Rynta. Everyone below the rank of executive officer was now forced to share quarters with other crewmembers or civilians and the ship was filled with them. When it became apparent that a complete evacuation was the only viable option, every ship capable of flying had been scrambled and stuffed with people. Large warships built for battle, now had their quarters and corridors filled with men, women and children of his race. Even other worlds of the Republic had sent their ships, including the humans to save as many as possible but even with their help, they had been forced to leave people behind.

"Well, it seems the Gods are in the mood to play games and test us. Now I know how the humans must have felt. It's strange. I never felt much for Akrennia. I've been a wanderer for so long I don't even know what a home is. But it still is the world on which our race has come into existence. I don't know. Maybe Ayko's dragging me into this. She's in an explosive mood lately. Better not come too close to her unless she tells me to. Not sure if I'm comfortable with being on her dad's ship. Being left behind was the other option so it's not like I had much of a choice. I still don't think he trusts me but if Sokarr will be so nice to tell him what happened I score yet another point."

Even though there was no one to hear him laugh, he still did. It was funny to see how something good still came out of so much bad. There was one little problem though. Money and status were an Akrennian's most valuable assets and the two were inseparably connected to each other. Perhaps that was why he thought he saw Khiosa aboard too. Slowly he began to wonder how he would react. An encounter would quite possibly be violent, perhaps even lethal but one thing was for sure. This time it had to be different and Ayko undoubtedly expected nothing more of him. Losing was not an option. He had to stand up to this guy and teach him a lesson and maybe some manners too. He was a Commander of the Militia and deserved the proper respect. His face slowly twisted into a slightly evil sharp-toothed grin.

"Our escape fleet is still orbiting Eshnar, one of the larger colonies but there's not enough room for everyone. The ship is crowded with civilians. Am I glad to share private quarters with somebody special. Others are less fortunate. There are plans to retake Akrennia. However it'll cost us and we can't do a thing with all these people aboard. The situation looks pretty dire, and I don't think we'll see any improvement on the short term. Now we're all wanderers."

"Preed?"

"Computer, pause. Yes my dear?" Two hands with long exploring fingers found their way down his chest in a caressing way. The touch of warm moist breath and soft lips tickled his neck, making him shiver with pleasure. He hadn't even heard her come in and she hadn't been like this in days. Shortly thereafter the touch of her beak was replaced by a sharp sting in his shoulder and a soft wet tongue. He flinched for a mere second and then relaxed in the chair, caged by her strong arms. "Did you make me bleed again?" he asked in a lovely way.

She grumbled in acknowledgement and hummed softly as she nuzzled against his cheek. "Shall I tell you something?"

"Hmm?"

"Father can't get you out of his mind. You should've been there when my bro told him about what happened. I would do anything to see that face again. He even forgot to be angry with me for locking Sokarr up. You are very close to becoming a member of the Trsh'ka clan. Now there's just one thing you need to do."

"And what would that be sweetheart?"

"You know what. You know who I'm talking about."

"Aaah, I see what you mean."

"Good. Then get him out of your way when the earliest opportunity presents itself."

"You want me to kill him?"

He noticed the tone of his voice went up when he said that. Maybe that wasn't a good move. He decided to let Ayko play the judge. She sounded malicious when she replied close to his good ear.

"Do whatever you see fit to make sure he doesn't bother us again. Remember what he did to you. He won't hesitate for a second when the moment is there. You shouldn't either."

Suddenly she moved in front of him, sitting down on the armrest of the large chair, flinging a muscular arm around his shoulder.

"First you get rid of him, then we'll figure a way out of this mess. Preed!"

Her sharp voice woke him up from his dreamy stare at her chest. She knew he felt caught but managed to save himself quickly and in a cunning way.

"I'm sorry dear. It's just… You haven't been like this for some time. I thought you forgot about me."

Grabbing his chin she brought her own face closer to his and smiled, softly squeezing his beak.

"No way," she said slowly, placing a soft kiss on top of his snout.

He watched the sharp tip of her long horn hover very closely before his eyes. She was even dangerous when she loved him. He liked it.

"Personal log, supplemental. Well, I guess it was just a matter of time before we started to lose our professionalism on the bridge too. Instead of breaking up a fight, something I've been doing quite a lot the past few days, I started one. I don't even remember what it was about. It wasn't even worth it. One moment everything was fine, the other I was yelling at Rilas. We're supposed to be friends for Kirliya's sake."

Slamming his fist on the desk in frustration, he heard the wood creak in protest under his display of strength. He breathed a long sigh through his nose, then forced himself to calm down. And then there were members of his race who were always like this. Cranky, easily angered and aggressive. Brushing his ears back, giving a little scratch between them he rested his head in his hand.

"It's been like this for days. The ship is in need of repairs and the crew is tired and in need of rest. Just a few more days, then we'll be relieved for a short period. There's enough will to fight. Now we just have to make sure we don't direct it at each other." He sighed. "We've been fighting for months and every month more planets fall. Survivors always tell the same thing. Hundreds of ships attacking simultaneously. Dropships landing. A massive army of unstoppable machines attacking the surrounding populated areas within hours of arrival. But we won't give up. Everyone has heard about the plan. The plan to hit them in a place they'll never expect it. Right in the middle. Now we just need to gather a force large enough to do the trick and at the same moment defend our remaining worlds. I'm not sure if it can be done at the same time."

He asked the computer to pause and stared at the door. He felt like he had been carrying an enormous load on his shoulders the whole time. Commanding a ship in the middle of a war, leaving his mate and children at home which wasn't safe anymore either. It was frustrating and frightening at the same time. Their faces and those of his parents, the people he loved, were constantly interfering with other thoughts, which were more important at those particular moments. It became harder and harder just to put them out of his mind.

"Computer, resume. I miss them. Stith, Jalla and Nalu and mom and dad too. And I hate it. I hate it that I can't be there. By Kirliya I miss them so much." He took a deep breath and furiously wiped his eyes. Even a Captain had to let off some steam and come to his senses sometimes. If he didn't he would have collapsed under the weight of his own emotions already. "Computer, delete that last part."

At that moment the doors of his ready room slit aside with a soft hiss. It was his First Officer who stood at attention in front of his desk. He was still angry. He could see it in his eyes but he didn't ask him here to continue the argument.

"You requested my presence, sir," Rilas said firmly, staring straight ahead.

Kero shook his head and gestured him to sit down.

"Rilas I… I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me but I never should've yelled at you."

"Sir."

"It was my mistake and I…"

"Sir."

"And I never should've called you a-"

"Kero!" When he looked up, he noticed the look on Rilas' face had changed. He was no longer staring ahead but straight at him. "It's fine, Captain. I was outta line too."

"Thanks Rilas, you don't know how much that means to me. A Captain and his First should always work as a team, at any time. We can't let our feelings interfere with the job."

"Never let sentiment get in the way of command decisions, eh sir?"

"I wish I could acknowledge. It's… so hard. I can't stop thinking about 'em anymore. I had to leave my family behind, while those monsters are tearing up our world."

"I'm sorry sir. But, I've got news and I hope it'll cheer you up a bit. The ship that's supposed to relieve us, is already on its way. We'll be going home tomorrow."

"Y-You're not serious. Right?"

But when Rilas smiled he knew it was genuine. Some brave warriors died aboard this ship and they deserved to be honored by their relatives. Their bodies had to be taken back to Sogowa, the world which had given them life. And from some of them, he knew they wanted their final resting place to be Mantra, the world on which the First Warrior gave birth to their entire race. But he could also finally take his crew home, take them back to their families. It was perhaps the best news he had heard in weeks.


	41. Chapter 38 Last Stand

**Last Stand**

Asath-Yvanu's brightly colored eyes glittered malignantly, an evil smile creeping along his face. The war room was quiet except for him and his brothers as they watched the live video feeds from all of their commanders on the surface of the worlds they were about to conquer. The moment he had put his plan into action, he had watched it unfold with great pleasure and satisfaction. One by one, populated words fell under the crushing strength of his new Order. Though it took longer than expected, mainly because he had never expected them to receive help from their old Coalition enemies -who had once again become their enemies as well- he was still satisfied. Yet another world was about to fall. One of his best Commanders, Quan-Thanamow and his small team of elite warriors were about to crush the capital of the primitive creatures inhabiting the planet. That would crush their fighting spirit for good. He had to admit, it had been a tough struggle so far, mostly for them but nothing would stand in their way and certainly not a bunch of primitives.

"Status, Quan-Thanamow?" he hissed.

"We are ready to begin the attack. My forces are standing by to burn this city to the ground and eliminate all of its citizens together with their Coalition friends."

Asath-Yvanu let out a cold laugh, bearing his teeth as his thin lips curved into a grin.

"Don't get overconfident. They almost had you last time."

The other Seraphim growled aggressively, his green-yellowish eyes flickering.

"They got lucky. I could've blasted them all to bits if I wanted to."

"Then why didn't you?" Zekh-Asovash sneered. "We've got nothing to lose. They on the other hand have everything."

Quan-Thanamow cursed until the sharp voice of his Asath-Yvanu silenced him instantly.

"Quiet! You have you orders, Quan-Thanamow! Carry them out! And this time without letting you companions suffer the consequences of your actions."

Without any more words, Quan-Thanamow broke the transmission, the screen switching back to the tactical overlay of his mission area. It was a large well-defended city where the inhabitants of the planet seemed to be making their last stand.

"No one can stand against us," Otho-Ivotha translated his exact thoughts into words.

Asath-Yvanu smirked. Their actions couldn't stay unnoticed. He was well aware of the other groups of warriors, who had fled to other universes as well. Maybe they could establish contact somehow, let them know about his plans, combine their forces. The homeworld had chosen to ignore them but soon, very soon that would be impossible. They could build an Empire, extend their might across several universes and only because _The Way _had chosen them to be superior. The thought alone, the ideas of endless possibilities filled him with excitement. But first he had to get everything that didn't fit into his plan out of the way and even better, he had people doing it for him as the thought crossed his mind.

When Kero returned home he instantly knew something was wrong. The soft lush green grass under his feet felt different and the sweet smell of the gardens was not the way he remembered. It was like a dark aura hanging over the city, catching him in its disturbing silence, sending the shivers up his spine. The unpleasant feeling of approaching calamity, the calm before the storm. He was standing with his back toward the city, facing the palace's main entrance and he didn't know if it had something to do with his eyes but the light of the sun was strange, diffuse, as if blocked by something. He was somehow afraid to turn around, afraid of what he would see, but his attention was drawn by the rumbling sound of thunder behind him.

_Maybe the clouds are blocking the sun._ But it was coming at him too fast for it to be thunder. Judging by the tone it was approaching rapidly. He took a short breath and straightened his back. His race wasn't afraid. They faced everything head on. But when he turned around, he couldn't keep his eyes from widening. He felt himself do a step back, his beak falling open. _This can't be._ Recovering quickly from the initial shock he climbed the stairs toward the palace entrance as fast as he could. He couldn't see it clearly from below but when he had reached the top and turned around once more, the sight was enough to turn both his hearts into ice.

He barely recognized the beautiful city of Ta'keth as the place where he grew up. The approaching sound of thunder he heard were in fact large squadrons of Coalition aircraft patrolling the skies. At every square, every bit of open space, shield generators and defensive turrets had been erected. The mighty fields of energy covered most of the city, protecting it against attacks from above. But that wasn't the worst. It wasn't the defenses that shocked him and filled him with anger at the same time. Thick black columns of smoke rose up from various places inside the city. Smoldering wrecks of downed aircraft were all over the place. And the sky. The sky was dark, filled with clouds but he knew they weren't normal clouds. When he looked down at himself, he noticed his red uniform shirt was covered with tiny grey specks of dust. When he knocked them off his sleeve, they fluttered down to the ground but when he smelled his hand afterwards he was certain. _Ashes._ Ashes was falling from the darkened sky, the thick clouds of smoke and burned particles effectively blocking out most of the sunlight. When he cocked his ears, the ominous silence hit him like a hammer. There was no one out there. Not the screaming of people, or the sounds of a battle. Just the planes flying over the city. Gazing in the distance he saw the massive figures of the ACU's, guarding, waiting. _Where is everyone? _Had they abandoned the city? If so, where did they go? He suddenly gasped for breath when his wristcom chimed. It was Rilas.

"Sir, are you there?" "I'm here Rilas, what's going on? Where is everyone?"

He heard Rilas sigh.

"They might have taken shelter. I've just received word from the ship that Ta'keth is about to be attacked by the Seraphim. Lots of people have taken shelter inside the palace. I'm gonna try and find my parents. I'll stay in touch, sir. Go and find your family; make sure they're safe."

"You too Rilas. Thanks. Kero out."

With his hearts beating against the inside of his chest, Kero ran inside. This was a nightmare.

But going inside didn't allow him to escape the dark aura that surrounded him just a moment ago. In fact it was worse and that had a reason. The broad tiled corridors of his home were filled with people, his people. Men, women, children, whole families had taken refuge inside the huge palace of his father. He could feel that shiver going up his spine again. It was terrible. One Mantrinesse held her two young children tightly against her chest, softly singing a soothing song while her mate had his arms wrapped around her. Those without children had each other to seek comfort by. They all had blankets to cover their bodies with. Furthermore it was chaos. The palace's servants and the guards together with those strong enough did everything they could to help the weak, the sick and the elderly. Children who weren't with their parents were walking loose, playing, running, as if nothing was wrong. But Kero knew better and so did those old enough understand. They were either talking quietly or said nothing at all, merely shooting him a quick glance as he walked past, before they turned their eyes down. As Kero made his way to the throne hall, the situation didn't improve at all. Apparently Zahn had taken as many people as he could to safety inside the palace. They were everywhere. In every room, on the stairs and in the corridors. He had almost reached the throne hall when he heard a crying Mantrinesse yell with a panicking voice.

"Please, have you seen my daughter? I can't find her."

"Ma'am, please stay calm. We're doing what we can to help everyone."

Her mate tried to calm her down too but she was really upset. Angry and sad at the same time. Kero walked up to her, unable to resist the urge to do something. He was a father too and hadn't much trouble imagining what it must feel like.

"What does she look like? What's her name?"

The Sogowan Mantrinesse looked up, her brown face wet from the tears, her bottom lip quivering.

"A-Aesha," she said tearfully. "She's about t-this tall, and her left ear hangs a bit. She has a d-dark spot around her right eye."

Placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, Kero smiled faintly.

"I'll find her."

Grabbing his hand with hers, she looked him in the eyes and bit her lip.

"Thank you," she whispered.

She was so upset that she didn't even recognize him so he moved on, on the lookout for the girl. _Hanging left ear. Dark spot around right eye. Shouldn't be too hard._ Still he decided to meet his parents first, make sure everything was all right. He just had to see his children with his own eyes.

The throne hall hadn't been spared either. There were people sitting alongside the broad stairs leading up to it too and when he entered, a lot of familiar faces turned in his direction. The'lah and Rajah were doing everything they could to help as well as several others. The entire Trunali tribe sat in one corner of the large hall, men, women and children and together with them sat the group he got to know as the gifted children, with their parents and Galen. The rest of the place was filled with as many people as they could possibly and comfortably fit inside the room. Even the statues and artifacts had been removed to create more space. His mother instantly noticed him when he entered. She was handing out more blankets to everyone and almost dropped her pile. A palace guard quickly took over from her while she made her way to her son.

"Kero."

She embraced him firmly and he gently patted her on the back.

"Mom, what's going on? I just came home and-"

"Thank Kirliya you're all right," she said, breathing a sigh of relief.

When she finally released him, which took some time, she had a worried look on her face. She was completely silent for a moment before she began to tell him what happened in all that time he was away.

"So everyone has taken refuge in shelters?"

It was hard for him to swallow everything his mother told him in that brief moment. And he had the feeling it was far from everything. But it was bad. The'lah nodded.

"The few shelters we were able to build, here in the palace and even the underground section of the Archive. There's huge amounts of space there and its build underground. The people in there should be safe."

Kero shook his head and looked around him.

"I can't believe it. Where's dad? Is he still here?"

She briefly opened her mouth to speak but closed it before saying a word. Then she led him to the balcony. He noticed her voice had quieted down a bit. When they were almost there she stopped, looking him in the eyes.

"Your father is going through a really difficult time, Kero. He's not himself anymore lately. He's been standing out there for a while now. I'm pretty sure he wants to see you but in here…", she patted on her chest, "…in here he's hurt. Pretty badly I fear."

"Dad."

"Go."

She nodded in the direction of the balcony, her lips merely forming the word without speaking out loud. Slowly he stepped outside, where the clouds of smoke and ashes darkened the sky. There with his hands on the stone railing stood his father, or better said, the tall and strong figure of his father, with his back turned toward him, his tail touching the ground, hanging in a defeated way.

"D-dad?" he asked carefully. His father flicked an ear, but didn't look up. His long white garments were covered with the grey dust, falling from the sky. He didn't even seem to notice it. Kero walked further, slowly approaching him. "Dad?" When he was almost standing next to him, his father finally seemed to notice him. He looked up from his stare in the distance, where his Empire and the beautiful city of Ta'keth were burning. It were his eyes, the same bright blue color as his that shocked Kero the most. They had lost that shine they always had, that little glitter of joy that lingered in them. It was gone. His eyes were empty. He didn't even recognize his father's voice as his when he spoke.

"Hello Kero, my son."

"Dad!" He threw himself against his father's chest, mainly because he didn't want to look into those eyes anymore. Those were not his dad's. But his father didn't even lift his arms to pat him on the back, or move at all. He just stood there, motionless. When he noticed, he slowly released him. Zahn didn't react. He just looked at him as if he were trying to determine if this was really his son. Kero didn't know why but it made him angry. "Dad, what is wrong with you?" He had almost raised his voice to a shout. It was loud enough to alert his mother to take a look. Or had she been standing behind that column all the time? "You never give up! So why are you quitting now?"

Zahn swallowed, his gaze drifting off to the city again and back to his son.

"I have failed, Kero."

"What?"

"I have failed to perform the most important task of someone in my position. I have taken an oath. I am the Emperor and there's nothing I can do to protect my people. My people are suffering and I'm supposed to keep them safe."

"No dad! They _are_ safe now! They have taken refuge right here in the palace, inside the Archive and in the shelters. You have done everything that lies within your power." He pointed into the distance. "There are people out there, our people and humans, fighting for our lives. Stith, your daughter-in-law and my mate is with them too. It's in their hands now. And they will free our world. I know it looks bad but we can't lose hope now. We'll make it through this."

His father heaved a deep sigh and let his head hang with a sad gesture.

"A new page in the history of our race has been turned. When Kirliya gave birth to us eons ago, she prepared us for the many challenges to come, made us strong. But she never prepared us for a destructive force like this."

His father's voice sounded really weird for a moment, as if he were reciting an ancient text or something. Grabbing his father's shoulders, he shook him up a bit, trying to find his gaze.

"She did, dad. She sent us allies, people who were willing to help us. You have done everything you could. And you did the right thing. I know that, because you're my dad and you've always done the right thing."

Throwing his arms around his father's neck, he hugged him tight. And finally, he felt his father's arms around his back, hesitantly at first, but more firmly eventually. The'lah walked up to him, hugging her mate.

"Oh Zahn," she brought out, her tears leaving wet trails on her face.

Even Rajah joined them in their hug. For a moment they were being a family again and when they finally released each other, Zahn sighed. Smiling weakly, his eyes had a tiny little spark in them, just enough for Kero to recognize his father.

"You're right. Maybe we should trust in Kirliya to decide our fate."

"May she lead the human warriors and our own to victory," Rajah said with a grin.

"It's in their hands now," Zahn said, gazing into the distance, with a hand on his youngest son's shoulder. "Let's hope for the best."

"I can't believe I said all that," Kero said quietly to his mother when they were about to leave the throne hall.

His father had some of his former spirit back and went to his private communication center to contact the forces currently defending the city. In the mean time The'lah took her son to see his children. She had left them under the care of Ganyu in the nursery to keep them safe.

"It brought you father back," The'lah replied, smiling gratefully. "He was so caught up in it. I couldn't get him out of it anymore."

"At least he's all right now. Mom, there's something else I need your help with. I came across a mother who's lost her little daughter. Can you help me find her?"

Describing to his mother what she looked like, they kept an eye out for children on their way to the bedroom. When they arrived there his mother halted in front of the doors.

"I'm sorry Kero. There wasn't enough room so your bedroom has been taken too." Kero frowned but before he could ask questions she opened the door to let them in. It turned out that the bedroom used by him and Stith had become a sleeping place for the youngest. Children under two years old were all brought here to a safe place, under the care of their parents. Their bed was occupied by at least a dozen little children, mostly Mantries from the looks of it and several extra beds had been stuffed into the room for young children to sleep on, as well as several mattresses. It was one giant nursery and Kero didn't mind for a second that their room was taken. They were just children who had no idea what was going on. Several Mantrinesses were walking around, feeding them, taking care of those who were crying and doing what they could to make them feel comfortable. "Sorry," The'lah said again.

"It's okay mom. You know I love children. But eh, where are mine?"

She led him through the room to the nursery, careful not to step on anything small, young and fragile while he tried to follow her exact steps. The nursery for their children had become a nursery for many more. Mantries and young children were sleeping, crawling and playing everywhere, while a few adults took care of them. It didn't take long for him to notice Ganyu. He stood near one of the beds, feeding the infant in his arms with a bottle. He seemed to do an excellent job as caretaker. It was a fulltime job as his mother told him and everyone who had experience with taking care of Mantries was welcome to help, so they could take turns. They called for him. Stith's father smiled. He didn't even seem to mind that he was selected for this delicate job.

"Hey Kero, how are you?"

"I'm okay. Where are my kids?"

"Dad-dy."

The voice came from below and when he looked down, a tiny boy with topaz-colored eyes laughed at him, dropping his stuffed animal on the ground. Lowering himself to the ground, he sat down near one of the Mantry beds and scooped up his little son.

"Nalu." Cradling him to his chest, he felt his eyes filling themselves with tears. He and his sister had grown so much. They were more than two and a half feet tall already. It didn't take long for Jalla to show up too. She always stuck with her brother. "Hey girl." Laughing she climbed over his legs and crawled into his lap, trying to get to her brother. But before she could do that, she was hugged tightly against her father's chest. "I missed you so much," Kero whispered, although he knew they wouldn't really understand. They looked at him with sparkling eyes. Then Nalu began reaching for his collar, or more specifically the shiny insignia's on both sides. "What? You want this?" He grinned, removing them both, giving one to each. Touching his beak to their faces, he could hear them purr softly. Jalla gave him a really wet lick on his cheek. He laughed. "Whoa, she really is a little drooler," he said, wiping her little wet mouth with his sleeve. His daughter wasn't bothered by it in the least. Holding him tightly, she began licking his shirt. "Jalla," he said with a frown.

The'lah sunk on her knees next to him, rubbing between their ears.

"I'm so sorry Kero."

"It's okay mom. I had my duties. I knew I would be away a lot. I thought they would be safer here. Have you seen that girl I was looking for?"

"I'll ask Ganyu."

It didn't take long to find her. One of the Mantrinesses walked up to them with an average-sized girl on her arm. He estimated her age around seven, maybe eight years old. Her tears had left wet trails on her face. Her left ear hung down a bit and her skin had a darker tint around her right eye. Putting his own children down, he walked up to them. The girl looked at him with a tearful face.

"I don't wanna go with you. I want my mommy," she moaned.

"I'll take you to her, if you let me. What's your name?"

"Aesha," she replied hesitantly.

"I've seen your mom. She's worried about you. I can take you to her. Whadda ya say?"

The girl sniffled, then nodded. He lifted her off the ground with the idea to carry her but it was met by opposition.

"Hey, I can walk. I'm not a little girl anymore."

"I'm sorry," he said, putting her down. Wiping her eyes, she stood next to him, then still decided to take his hand. Kero smiled, trying to break the ice a bit but she wasn't looking at him. It was time to say goodbye to Jalla and Nalu too. They would be safer here. "Jalla, I need my pin back." Moaning, she pulled it out of his reach, holding on to it, a bit of a cheeky expression on her face. He got the other one from Nalu. But once he made a sad face, his ears going down, she stretched out her arm, holding out the pin to him. He caressed between both their ears for one last time. "I'll be back soon and I'll make sure your mom is with me too."

On their way back to the throne hall, Kero took a different route to meet up with Aesha's mother at the point where he last saw her. And every corridor was filled with people, trying to stick together during these dark times. Aesha wasn't very talkative. She had let go of his hand the moment they left the bedroom and was now walking beside him, silently.

"This is terrible," she suddenly said. "I'm so mad at the people who are doing this to us. They're stupid. I hate them."

Kero sighed. She was anything but dumb. Her comment almost startled him. He didn't expect her to talk to him but he didn't expect her to say something like that at all.

"You're brave. You've turned you fear and your sadness into anger. That's a warrior's thing."

She looked at him for second, then something that resembled a smile appeared on her face.

"Thanks. I wanna be a warrior, some day. But mom and dad were mad at me when I told them. They don't want me to fight. That's stupid."

"No, it's not stupid." She looked at him with a flattened ear. "They love you. They're your parents. They don't wanna lose you."

She opened her beak to protest but when she noticed her tall friend was distracted by something she closed it with a snap.

"What's that sound?" she asked, cocking her ears, just like everyone else around who was awake and alert. Suddenly she was yanked by her arm so fast she screamed loudly. Before she knew it, she was put with her back on the ground while Kero covered her body with his own. She screamed again when a powerful explosion close by and a few smaller ones shook the whole palace up. The moment the blast hit, everyone panicked. It was frightening as no one had any idea what was going on exactly. The building was the sturdiest in the entire city but wasn't built to withstand a siege of this magnitude. "Help, I'm scared," she wailed.

"Be strong. You're a warrior," Kero said firmly but still in a friendly way.

A second explosion followed and though it sounded just as powerful as the first, the effects were less.

"I don't wanna be a warrior anymore! I want my mommy," she cried, holding on to him so tightly that he was afraid he would have her claw marks in his chest when this was over.

_Did the attack start already? _Making sure it was safe to stand again, he carried her the rest of the way, and this time she didn't seem to mind. No more explosions followed, not that close anyway. _Maybe it was just a scouting party, testing the strength of our defenses._

"Aesha!" The Sogowan Mantrinesse was so happy to have her daughter back that she picked her out of his arms and squeezed her so tightly against her that she nearly suffocated the girl. "You have a good pair of hearts," she said gratefully. Suddenly her eyes grew bigger when she finally realized who had helped her. "You're, you are…" she stammered.

"It's all right. I had to help. I must go now. Be safe."

When he returned to the throne hall, he decided to look for his father, assess the situation and find out what happened just a moment ago. Was the palace safe enough? If they attacked the building directly the whole place could come down upon them. But before he could make his way to the other end of the throne hall his path was blocked by a Fjetahna Mantrinesse who obviously wasn't in the mood for a little conversation. Her arms, with little red tufts of fur on the elbows were crossed, her yellow eyes flickered and she was lashing her long plumed tail in a threatening way. It wasn't hard to guess whose mother she was. Her mate was standing behind her, about to place a comforting hand on her shoulder but pulled it back quickly when she spoke.

"Where are my daughters?" she grumbled between clenched teeth.

She didn't even seem to care who he was. The well-being of her two daughters meant too much to her.

"I assure you. They're fine. They'll be here shortly I think."

"Mom! Dad!"

Kero smiled.

"Belay that."

"Naea! Kiké!" The two girls fell in the arms of their mom and dad, laughing. "Am I glad you're all right," their mom said with a sob.

Kero shook his head, but before he could move again, a voice from behind stopped him dead in his tracks once more.

"Reporting in, sir."

"Hey Rilas, I was just…"

When he turned around he was pleasantly surprised. His First Officer was flanked by his mom and dad and a younger boy and girl, all from the Sogowan race. Rilas smirked, flinging an arm around the shoulders of the two kids.

"My mom and dad and little bro and sis."

"Nice to meet all of you," Kero said, scratching the back of his head.

"It's an honor," Rilas' dad said with a slight bow.

"You need me, sir?"

"Maybe. I'm gonna find my dad first, inquire about the situation on the frontline. We've just been attacked already, I think. Not sure if it was a direct attack. This place is sturdy but without that shield surrounding us at this moment it will be a pile of rubble before you know it."

Rilas looked over his shoulder but his father nodded.

"We'll find a spot. Don't worry son. We'll be all right."

With a firm nod Rilas followed his commanding officer and friend to the Emperor's private rooms, which weren't so private anymore for the moment.

"Dad, what was that?"

"Scouting party." Zahn sighed. His private com center allowed him to stay in contact with the people defending the city against the assault that was now imminent. The system was also upgraded to allow him to monitor the tactical situation in and around Ta'keth. "Several aircraft went down, two of them crashed into our shields. The attack will begin momentarily. Commander Natal informed me that the Seraphim Commander is leading the attack himself. His base is close by and his forces have entered scanning range of their defensive border. She was honest with me though. They have to take out that Seraphim Commander or it's over and Ta'keth will fall."

"But are we safe? The palace can't withstand a direct attack."

His father smiled wryly.

"Nothing to worry about, son. There's an extremely powerful shield surrounding us that's been upgraded to prevent anything from getting through, even wreckage." He grinned and knocked on the nearest piece of wall. "And these walls have withstood both the ravages of time and the pound of my fist. Now go and help your mom keep everyone safe and warm. I'll have to stay here."

"My parents were taken to the Archive," Rilas said on their way back to the throne hall. "But I wanted to stick with you since we're officially still on duty. So I decided to bring us all here. Hope you don't mind."

"Of course not, Rilas."

Now they just had to sit tight and wait the whole thing out. This would be the toughest battle yet and there were so many lives at stake. It was frightening to know that it could all end within the next few hours. Suddenly a scream echoed through the corridor, making everyone along the walls turn their heads in the direction of the throne hall, which wasn't far. They both looked at each other for a moment, the same thought flashing through both their minds. Speeding up their pace, careful not to step on any legs or tails they made it back to find a group of people surrounding someone.

"Please, get a doctor! Something's wrong with my daughter!"

The voice belonged to Shiweyah and that could only mean one thing. She and her mate sat on their knees on the ground. Fri'kaya, the old shaman of the Trunali tribe was with them too but nobody touched the child, afraid to do anything that could possibly make it worse. Shezu sat cross-legged on the floor, her head slightly twitching in a strange way. She was rolling with her eyes and held her hand -which was balled to a fist so tightly her claws cut through her skin- to her mouth. Saliva dripped from her beak and she was whispering something to herself, the same things over and over again.

"This is not good," Fri'kaja grumbled.

"She appears to be in some kind of shock," someone else said.

"Do something!" Shiweyah shouted in panic.

"Everyone stay out of the way," Galen interfered.

Kero and Rilas remained at a distance. Kero knew very well what this girl was capable of if she wasn't in control of herself. Sure Galen knew what to do. He had made those eight children the way they were. The Soneth Mantrin sunk on his knees in front of the girl who still didn't show any signs of improvement.

"Shezu," Reylyn moaned, watching together with the other children.

"How long has she been like this? Did anyone see what happened?"

"You stay away from her!" Shiweyah shouted aggressively, extending her claws. "I bet it's your fault anyway!"

"But he's the only one who might get her out of this," her mate tried to calm her down.

Shiweyah burst into tears while Galen tried to help her daughter by talking into her. Touching her could provoke a hostile response. No one could possibly have an idea what was going on inside her mind at the moment.

"Shezu. Shezu, can you hear me?"

Still nothing. She was still whispering, barely audible. Bringing his ear closer to her mouth Galen asked for silence.

"It's happening. I've seen it happen. We're all gonna die. It's happening. I've seen it."

"What is she saying?"

Galen placed a finger on his beak and carefully stretched out his hand toward her shoulder. In the meantime everyone held their breath and watched. The touch of just his finger on her shoulder worked like an electric shock, triggering a response like someone turned a bucket of ice water over her head. Lunging forward she grabbed his shirt.

"It's happening! My dream! It's all true!" she shouted.

Her eyes were focused again and she seemed to be herself. Galen grabbed her hands and squeezed tightly.

"What's happening? Tell me. What have you seen?"

"The dream I told you about, dad. Thousands of dead people. Everything been destroyed. Ashes falling from the sky. It's all happening. I've seen it before and I saw it again."

She had a desperate look in her differently colored eyes. She was scared, just like everyone. He had been wrong. Her psychic abilities had shown her the future; a future that was now present. Holding her, he brushed with a hand through her slightly curly golden hair.

"I'm sorry Shezu. I should've trusted you."

She didn't reply, even when her mother asked her if she were all right. She had seen it happen and she had seen what would happen if no one intervened at this critical point in time. But she was afraid to tell everyone. There was nothing they could do anyway. Or could they?

"All right, this is it. The plan is simple, the execution will be a pain in the ass but we've gotta succeed. Don't let a single unit get past our defense perimeter. If too many manage to get through, people are gonna start dying. If you don't think you can handle it, now you still have time to bail out. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it but I'll personally kick your butt when this is over. And you will like that even less than getting your butt kicked by the Seraphim. Are you with me?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Good! Now keep those units rolling off the assembly line. We need every single one of them and more."

Keeping a constant watchful eye on her radar, Stith moved her ACU toward the edge of her own defenses and strengthened them some more. The people in the city's shelters counted on them. All the training, the hard work had paid off and this time she need all of her newly acquired skills to win this battle. The presence of their Princess on the battlefield had even inspired the other rookies to train harder and she was proud of it. She flashed a quick glance at the picture in print of her mother she had stuck between two parts of her HUD. Mestral smiled back at her, ready to fight, encouraging her to do the same.

"Thanks mom," she whispered softly, closing her eyes. "I call upon you to guide me, Kirliya the Enlightened. All of your children are asking for your help. Please give us the strength and the courage we need to win this battle."

"This is not looking good," Kendra said to Akima over a private channel. "If we don't kill this guy now and win this battle we might lose this planet too. He's good I gotta give you that. Damn, I hate the Seraphim. They've brought nothing but destruction upon the galaxy."

"Kendra I've always wondered. Why do you hate the Seraphim so much? What did they do to you?"

"Nothing," she replied a little curt. Her voice became much softer suddenly, more emotional. "It's just…" She was silent for a moment. Akima noticed she was looking down, digging up the horrible memories of her past. She sighed. "I had to learn everything the hard way. I already lost my parents to the _Infinite War_. When the UEF fired _Black Sun_… They destroyed my home, killed my parents, murdered billions… That doesn't even begin to cover it." Kendra took a deep breath. "This is not a good subject now. But in short, when the Seraphim invaded our galaxy, a large group known as the _Order_, lead by Evaluator Kael took control of the former _Aeon Illuminate_ and sided with the Seraphim believing they were Gods. They couldn't have been more wrong." She grumbled something indistinct through clenched teeth, quite possibly a curse word of some kind. "We felt betrayed. Kael branded us as heretics and killed everyone who turned against her. I on the other hand remained loyal to the Princess. What was left of the true _Illuminate_ sided with the other factions during the Seraphim war. Rhianne Burke is the only true leader of our people. We are still waiting for her return but we're not sure if it'll ever come. She has become one with everything we believe in. Maybe it's meant to be that way." While Akima did her best to force her mind to digest everything Kendra just told her, she realized the people around her lead the same difficult life as she did. Wars did nothing more than cause pain and suffering and neither side really gained something without losing other more valuable things in the process, such as the lives of people. "I hope they can manage themselves," Kendra said, interrupting her train of thought, snapping her back to the cockpit of her ACU. It took her second to figure what she was talking about.

"They seem to be handling themselves pretty well."

"Hmm, they're still too green."

"Oh please Kendra, you gave Stith a chance too."

"Yes, she appears to be one of our best assets. She seems to inspire the others." Their little conversation was cut short when the alarm sounded. The enemy had come within weapons range and there seemed to be a whole lot of them. "All right, cut the chatter! Everyone prepare for the first wave! Don't let 'em get through!"

"Ready Stith?" Akima asked over a private channel.

Stith snickered.

"Just lock and load. Let 'em come to me. I'll have 'em for breakfast."

"Incoming enemy aircraft entering visual range!" one of the recruits yelled over the com.

"Bearing? Lieutenant, what's their bearing?"

"All of them ma'am."

All of the rookies and even Akima, who couldn't really be considered a rookie anymore were in the same state of shock. The growing number of red dots on her radar confirmed with what she saw in the darkened sky. Large formations of fighters, bombers and gunships coming at her by the dozens and that was only _her_ flank. On the ground they undoubtedly had the same number of assault bots and tanks cutting down everything in their path while they made their way to the city. The small sea bay just outside the city had been turned into a harbor by the Coalition forces to prevent a Seraphim naval attack from a distance. Their defenses were tough but were they able to stop the massive approaching fleet of battleships and cruisers from breaking through? The fate of Sogowa Prime was in the hands of a group of courageous Commanders from a couple of different worlds. The line was drawn right here and there was only one way to cross it.


	42. Chapter 39 Turning the Tide

**Turning the Tide**

The attack was devastating from the start. They were trying to overwhelm them in waves, sending hundreds of units at their ranks at the same time. Akima was flanked by Stith on her right and Lynn on her left. No effort was spared to protect the capital of Sogowa Prime. Every Commander was assigned a sACU and although they were usually piloted by Commanders themselves, these modified versions were one-of-a-kind, controlled by sophisticated AI while operating on their own but fully controllable from each Commander's ACU. The support Armored Command Unit was a very useful and versatile unit with capabilities similar to the ACU but more combat ready. Everyone made sure their sACU's were upgraded to the maximum, featuring upgraded weapons and shields or upgraded repairs systems allowing for instant armor regeneration. The units constantly covered their Commander's backs, providing fire support and protection with their shields.

Making sure she kept every weapon at her disposal firing, Akima sent a squadron of bombers forward to attack the next wave of assault bots dashing toward her, firing their bolters into her shields. The way her shield generators were placed created multiple layers of cover. Fortifying the city had proven to be difficult though. The terrain was tough and covered with forests and jungles around the huge valley in which Ta'keth was located. Most of the vegetation was cut down in the first few minutes of the battle however. Nothing unprotected could withstand an assault like this for long. As her defenses turned the assault bots into scrap, her bombers flew over their ranks to take out the long range mobile artillery. It was the most basic rule of combat she had learned. Never use only one unit type. The assault bots formed the mainstay of the Seraphim war machine but they were always covered by artillery and mobile anti-air. It was simply because they were an easy target for any ground attack aircraft on their own.

"They just love those bots, don't they?" she said through clenched teeth.

"I just love to turn them into scrap," Stith replied, whooping as she tore through another wave herself.

During training Stith had grown to like Cybran technology better and for this occasion had upgraded her ACU with a Heavy Microwave Laser Cannon, allowing her to sweep over the enemy ranks and turn them into molten chunks of metal. Her sACU's EMP Attack stopped them dead in their tracks for her to blast them to bits. It was the perfect combination.

"Does anyone know what Kendra's plan is exactly? She wants to take out their Commander but how're we gonna do that?"

"We've gotta wait for him to show up first," Lynn yelled over the sound of a series of explosions on her side. "Seraphim are known to be very unpredictable. We've gotta devise a plan the moment his signature shows up on radar."

"_Great,"_ Akima thought, biting her teeth, firing her ACU's Quantum Disruptor into a group of enemy tanks. Her radar warned her for a large squadron of bombers, covered by fighter escort. Gathering a group of air-to-air combat craft, she sent them to intercept the bombers. _Making a plan while fighting off an assault of this magnitude. Nice strategy._

They just had to sit tight and wait. If he showed up at all, it was likely to assume they only had a small window of opportunity. The coward would retreat to the safety of his base the moment he felt threatened. Destroying that base, or bases as this enormous amount of units couldn't come from a single base, was the only other option they had if everything else failed.

Standing on the balcony adjacent to the throne hall, Kero gazed over the city of Ta'keth into the distance. The air around him flickered with the energy of the shield protecting the palace. He could feel the floor under his feet vibrating, shaking with the sound of the explosions of the battle around the city. Even behind the palace there was fighting. That flank had been extra reinforced to protect them from a direct attack. He couldn't see what happened directly behind them; he could only hear it. But in the distance the battle raged like a destructive storm, the flashes of the explosions being lightning, violent, unpredictable and the sounds were like a never-ending thunder, powerful and rumbling, like a large angry predator. He only realized he had been squeezing the stone railing when his hands began to hurt. _What have we done to deserve this? Is Kirliya punishing us for our sins? Is all of this happening for a reason? _These questions and many more swirled through his mind and they began to wash out all rational thought. Maybe he was being desperate but he couldn't believe they deserved this for a particular reason. Some of them were just children. How could a child deserve something like this? Maybe his father had been pondering about the same things when he stood here in this exact spot. He suddenly gasped for breath when he noticed someone had joined him and it wasn't someone he expected.

"Did I scare you with my presence?"

He didn't get to know all the members of the Trunali tribe but this Mantrinesse he wouldn't forget soon. The strange and ancient symbols tattooed on her face and the wooden rings in the lobe of her ear ticking when she twitched it were hard to forget.

"You're Fri'kaja, right?" he asked hesitantly, hoping the UT locked on to her dialect correctly.

She, the rest of her tribe and other tribes had received them as well, to make communication between the different cultures easier. She nodded faintly, staring into the distance the same way he did until a moment ago. He wasn't sure if he should just talk to her or wait until she made the first move. But before he could decide, the decision was made for him.

"You're worrying too much Prince Kero."

"How can I not worry? Everyone's in danger. Forgive me for being so blunt but we could all die here today."

"Hmm," Fri'kaja hummed under her breath. "Have faith young one. The First Warrior will not let this happen to her children. I know that because I've been closer to her than ever before thanks to the eight children. They've shown me certain things. I know the truth about their gift but there's only one reason they can wield and control such power. I believe they might be the key."

Kero stared at her for a moment, trying to keep the conflict in his mind under control. Was she just a crazy old Mantrinesse or was there something more going on here? She was a Shaman though and he knew it was wrong to question someone who frequently visited the spirit realm. The rituals they performed allowed them to see things, a possible future perhaps. He couldn't know. Maybe it was better to trust her words. She seemed to know more about what was going on than he did.

"But, but they're just children. Their powers have been given to them by their father. And he never should've done that cause it-"

"No! Open your eyes," she snarled. She stood closer to him now, pointing a finger with a very long claw in the direction of the throne hall. "He didn't just give them those powers. He was _meant_ to give them."

"So, you think Galen's gifted children are our salvation?" A massive explosion behind them caused him to duck in a reflex. The shield around them flickered when rocks and stone from the valley wall disintegrated on its surface. A cloud of dust blew over the edge of the wall, raising questions about what happened up there. Looking up he grinded his teeth and growled. It didn't look too serious. The wall seemed to be holding. "You think… they can save us?"

Fri'kaja shook her head, the rings in her ears ticking.

"I'm not sure."

"But you said-"

"I _said_," she snarled, her eyes flickering for a moment. "I said they _might_ be the key. Emotion is the trigger. They've shown it to me. When they're angry or sad even they don't know what they're capable of. But I have the feeling we're gonna find out soon."

Turning her back with a lash of her tail, she walked back to the throne hall, leaving Kero behind in an even more confused state than before. So a group of children was somehow the key to saving their world? What could they do against the massive armies of machines trying to lay waste to the city and their entire world?

"Kiké!"

"Ailynn!" Her friend from the Sogowan race was glad to see her. For a moment they embraced each other firmly, glad to see each other all right. "I missed you," Ailynn whispered.

"I missed you too." Releasing her, Ailynn touched her beak to hers. She greeted her parents and sister who gave her a warm smile. "Is everything all right? Where are your parents?"

Stepping back a little, Ailynn breathed a sigh, then sat down on the floor against the wall where Kiké's parents made a little more room. Kiké sat down next to her.

"Don't worry. They're all right. They're down there somewhere between the masses. It's really crowded. People talking, children crying, pets running loose. I needed a break so I decided to take a little walk. I saw your parents earlier but you weren't with them so I figured you were still out there between the stars."

"I was but, we just came home today. What a mess."

Their conversation was interrupted by a nearby explosion that shook the palace. Children in the room began to whimper. Their parents tried to cover their ears with their hands and held them tightly in their arms to keep them save, using their legs as a barrier of protection around them.

"You know, I've never been to the palace before," Ailynn changed the subject. "We're really in the house of the Emperor. I can't believe his son is your Captain. He's a nice guy isn't he, Prince Kero?"

Kiké nodded.

"Yeah, he is. He really cares for us all, when we're out there, fighting for the lives of others while putting our own at risk."

"Wow, sometimes I wish I were like you."

Kiké gave her a wry smile.

"Believe me, during a time like this your really don't want to."

"Aren't you scared? It's really dangerous."

"Of course I'm scared but, we can't let that get in our way. When people are counting on you like that you can't just crawl away into a corner. And knowing that, you really just can't. You just do what you need to do." Ailynn slowly shook her head. "What happened here before the attack? How did everyone get to safety? _Is_ everyone safe?"

"Well…" Ailynn took a breath, absent-mindedly scratching behind her ear with the claw of her index finger. "Of course we knew about what was going on around us. Everyone watched the news. It changed our daily lives. We knew we could expect an attack. It would come sooner or later. They were destroying everything. It's terrible." Her last sentence ended in a sob. Wiping her eyes she sniffled. "So yesterday they began the evacuation. They'd already began fortifying the city long before that but people from the city security force and the Imperial Guard came at our door, telling us to pack a few things because we had to leave. My mom and dad had already packed the most valuable things. _We_ were prepared; others weren't. First I thought we would be going to another city, or maybe even to space. Then we were told that most starships were someplace else, defending the colonies. Transporting us all to another city was undoable. The enemy was close. They would shoot down the transports for sure." A tear rolled over her cheek. Covering her eyes with her hands she began to sob softly. "A few days ago, I heard my aunt, uncle and my two cousins were killed in an attack on the city where they lived."

Touching her cheek to Ailynn's, Kiké flung an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm sorry."

Ailynn sniffled.

"You're the best friend I ever had. Like you said, you risk your life for others every day."

As she did what she could to comfort her friend, Kiké wasn't really paying attention to the things around. She didn't even have the slightest idea for how long they had been sitting here. An hour, maybe two at most.

"Everyone get down!" someone yelled suddenly.

Everything seemed to happen in a fraction of a second. When she turned her head, she saw her Captain coming back from outside, waving with his arms, dragging someone with him to the ground. Heads turned toward him, people screamed, grabbed their children or each other and made themselves as small as possible. She felt how a strong hand grabbed her and pulled her back toward the owner while she still held Ailynn in her arms. There was a bright flash when something hit the palace's shields. A couple of ground shaking explosions followed. People panicked. A crack appeared in the ceiling, small pieces of stone and a fine layer of white dust covering everyone under it. Closing her eyes against the bright flash in a reflex, she could still feel the short and intense heat on her face for a moment, the sound of the explosions hurting her ears. But instead of covering them, she held on to her friend, praying that it would be over, even though it only lasted for a few terrifying seconds.

"Don't let 'em get through! They just hit the palace!" Kendra yelled over the com.

She could yell all she wanted but they were just too strong. During training and battles Akima had noticed it was easy to lose track of time. She didn't know how long she had been fighting already but she began to wish that their true enemy would show his face soon. They needed him to show up. He was the target, not his armies or his base.

"Akima, I've got an experimental incoming," Stith said. "Wanna help me kill it?"

Checking her radar, which she did constantly from the start, she confirmed her friend's reading. It was an experimental assault bot, still five clicks away but it wouldn't stay that far away for very long.

"Combined attack then. What've you got?"

"Enough I hope. Couple of gunships and bombers. Lots of tanks and a few assault bots too but they'll probably be shot to bits before they reach it."

"I've got practically the same as you. Concentrate your defensive fire and launch your tactical missiles. I'll do the same. The anti-air on that thing sucks so our aircraft won't have a hard time finishing it off once it's air cover is blown to smithereens. Let's get him."

"Strategic launch detected."

_Oh great, not that again._

"Kendra to all, we've got nukes coming in! Keep those silos loaded and ready. They won't be the only ones."

As she and Stith focused their artillery cannons and tactical missile silos on the enemy's mobile anti-air, she prepared a squadron of air-to-air attack craft to cover Stith's gunships and bombers. In the meantime the nukes sent toward their position were intercepted by anti missiles. If one of those managed to get through they would lose a major part of the city. Preventing that was priority number one and it was well-covered. The enemy _Ythotha_ was closing in, it's incredibly powerful weaponry blasting through their attacking tanks and bots. The _Ythotha_'s escort had lost more than eighty percent of its anti-air to their defensive fire however. It was time to put their plan into action.

"Now! Hit it!" Stith yelled, adding a war cry.

The enemy's countering air force was strong but their bombers were too numerous. The detonations of Quark and Neutron Bombs tore entire pieces off the giant walker, while the gunships hit it with everything they got. The giant slow walking machine lost it's right arm, which hit the tortured ground with a massive thundering bang. It was too much. With flames shooting from its internals, the giant machine crashed to the ground with a massive bang, sending up waves of dirt, crushing most of the remaining Seraphim units. Several more of them had attacked the city at the same time. All along the border multiple of them went down.

"Be careful Stith, it's gonna release one last surprise."

"I know."

The balls of crackling energy appeared from the fallen husks, lashing out at their surroundings with white tentacles of pure energy. Again, Akima was fascinated by the sight, yet horrified by the idea. That thing; was it sentient? Were the Seraphim holding it captive in this dimension against their will, drawing power from them to use for their machines?

"All right, good job everyone. But we're not done yet. Scouts have detected a massive-"

A massive explosion disrupted Kendra's transmission completely. An alarm blared through Akima's cockpit while her radar identified the harbor as the source of the blast. It appeared as if the Seraphim detonated a nuke inside the sea bay, wiping out everything, including their own ships. Why would they do such a thing?

"Stith! Stith, come in! Lynn, do you read?"

"I read ya, Akima."

"I'm alive," Stith grumbled. "Those filthy…"

Akima's ACU trembled in the wake of the explosion. The strong wind propelled large clouds of dust and dirt from the destroyed ground in all directions. It took a while for everyone to establish contact with each other. Kendra was the last to report in. She and Faulkner had been defending that harbor. Now everything was gone. She cursed openly and didn't hold back anything.

"Bastards! I barely got out of that in time. How did that get through anyway? What the hell are they doing?"

The answer came soon enough. Finally Quan-Thanamow showed himself to them, his lizard-like face a distorted mask of joy and desire to kill. But his appearance on the battlefield was nothing to be afraid of. In fact, they needed him to show his face. Now they just had to find and kill him. He laughed, the same cold and emotionless laugh as the first time they met. Akima just couldn't stand it. She felt like someone just walked over her grave. That creature really was hideous to look at and the voice was really something one would expect from him.

"I pity you. It wasss a battle well fought but sssomeone's gotta lose. Thisss will be the end for all of you."

"Trace that signal! Lock on to his position!"

Using her sensor network to scan the area, Akima searched for the source of the signal. However it appeared to be out of her radar range.

"Got him!" Faulkner reported. "A sonar platform, thirty clicks off the coast. Detecting multiple high energy signatures near his position; could be experimentals."

"Okay everyone, this is it! He's coming to us and he's not alone. Some of these signatures could be other ACU's so we're looking at the final assault. If we kill them it's over."

"He's coming this way! ETA is set for approximately fifteen minutes."

"He's coming this way. I can feel him. I can feel his anger."

With her eyes closed, allowing for a deep level of concentration, Shezu could see past, present and future playing right before her. A sequence of moving images, including what would happen if they failed. She was surrounded by her gifted brothers and sisters and in turn their group was surrounded by everyone else. They watched silently, allowing them to concentrate. The other children could see it too, enhancing each other's abilities as they desperately searched for a solution to the problem. She suddenly gasped for breath when she snapped out of it. Taking deep breaths she came to her senses, looking at the people around her. They all looked at her and the other children with hope in their eyes. They were hoping that she would tell them that it would be all right. It was far from all right however. Galen sunk on his knees before her.

"What have you seen, Shezu? Please tell us." First she hesitated, brushing a lock of golden hair out of her face. Then she grabbed both his hands and transferred the images to his mind, careful not to overload his brain. Galen groaned softly as his mind processed everything he saw in those short seconds. When she let go of his hands, a thin film of sweat had appeared on his forehead. He was shocked. Taking a deep breath a looked her in the eyes and shook his head. "No Shezu, don't do that."

"It's the only way dad."

"No, you're so young. Please, don't do that to yourself. You don't owe anyone that."

"I have to try dad. It's the only way. We've all seen the same thing. You've seen what he'll do to this city if we don't stop him."

She stood up and rubbed her head. All that concentrating and what happened earlier had left her with a nasty headache once again.

"Shezu, what are you gonna do?"

Shiweyah had been worried about her daughter from the moment they were reunited. Her powers allowed her to look into the future, lift tremendous weights without effort and do all kinds of things no one else could. Still she was worried and sometimes she even frightened her, just like a few moments ago when she experienced some kind of shock.

"I have to do this. Don't worry. It'll be all right."

"We'll help you, Shezu."

Her brothers and sisters had decided too.

"No, I've gotta do this alone guys, sorry."

"Now wait a sec," Reyan's father grumbled. "I'm not gonna let my son put his life at unnecessary risk. You'd all be wise to do the same. Come Reyan."

"No," the Sogowan boy said angrily. "I'll help. We'll all help and you can't stop me."

"Reyan, you get back here in an instant!" At first it looked like Reyan was going to give in but instead he firmly remained standing where he stood, thumping his tail on the tiled floor, his arms crossed. His father growled but didn't say another word. He couldn't talk or threaten his son out of it. "All right, suit yourself. But if you get hurt, you won't leave the house for a full month."

"Are you sure about this?" Galen asked. Eight little heads shook 'yes' determinately. He couldn't believe it. What his daughter was about to do could cost them their lives and there were no guarantees this time. The Seraphim were a strong empathic race so their minds were much stronger than average. But according to Shezu it was the only chance they had. He had to admit she was right on this. "All right. I've got something that will help. Come with me."

"Where do you think _you're_ going?" Shiweyah snarled. "I can't believe you're even remotely considering this. These are our children we're talking about!"

Shezu's head snapped in her mother's direction.

"Mom, it will be okay."

"But, but," she stammered.

Galen wasn't sure if Shezu was making an exception to his rule and used her powers on her own mother. Shiweyah merely stared for few seconds until she turned her look down. It was time to go.

"Forgive me for disturbing you, Your Highness. I need the suits for-"

"It's all right, Galen. Over there."

"Thank you, my Lord." The children quietly followed their father to the room next to the Emperor's private com center. The palace trembled again as another attack was blocked by the shields. They had become more frequent now. They had to be quick. The defenses around the city were crumbling under the constant attacks and the true enemy was close. All children could feel his presence getting stronger and stronger by the minute. The room was relatively dark but when the lights turned on they could see the look on the face of the man they had known as their father. He didn't really want to do this but he didn't see any other option either. "This is my last gift to you." It was a rack, carrying several suits, obviously made of some kind of armor. "The moment I heard about the invasion I started working on this in secret. The idea was there, I just had to build them."

"What are those things daddy?"

"Armor; very light-weight but also very strong and flexible. It will protect you and at the same time allow for better control of your abilities." He shook his head. "At least my research has been good for something. Try them. There's one for each one of you." As his children put on the suits he made for them, they were being transformed into the reason he had given them their powers in the first place. They were given to them for only one reason, to become warriors that didn't need weapons to fight. To become weapons themselves, with tremendous power, capable of single-handedly taking on an army. But instead of a living weapon, they had become his children and now he was practically sending them to their deaths. It made him feel miserable, nauseated. He could barely look. "He does it feel? I created them especially for you so I haven't tried it myself."

"It feels good," Fran replied.

The gray metallic suit covered the Goureg boy's legs, arms and body almost completely. Even the top of his feet were covered and his hands were protected by special gloves that left the palms exposed to allow for better control of his psychic energy. Each child's suit had been designed in the same way, allowing them to use their powers in the best way possible while offering the best possible protection.

"It's very comfortable actually," Shezu replied, stretching her legs with the suit on.

"Okay, now concentrate. Feel your energy and make it flow through your body."

Each child closed its eyes, concentrating, taking deep controlled breaths. Their abilities had grown stronger. It happened almost instantly. But for some reason it was easier to control. The suit guided the energy to the palms of their hands and the soles of their feet. Each child's hands sparked with pure energy. Apparently they had learned new things in his absence, teaching each other how to use their powers to do new things and become stronger. But before releasing any of it they opened their eyes, stopping the flow of energy before it could cause harm. He could feel their power radiating from them, like heat from a reactor core. It threatened to overwhelm him whenever they displayed their powers.

"Is everything all right, daddy?"

"I-I'm fine." Even after everything that happened, they still called him daddy. It brought the tears to his eyes. Blinking them away he began leading them out of the room. "Come children. Our people need you."

"I know where we have to go dad."

Looking over his shoulder, he saw the determined look on Shezu's face and on the faces of the others too. They knew what to do. Now he just needed to get them there.

"Quick! Get inside! We can't keep the shield down for long!"

A large transport was hovering in front of the palace near the throne hall. It would take the children to the frontline. It was time to say goodbye to their parents.

"Please be careful, Fran."

"Eyza, don't go. It's dangerous."

"We're all sorry, but we've gotta do this."

"But _what_ are you gonna do?"

"Save our planet."

"But you're all just children."

"Just trust us!"

"I've gotta take off now! Enemy bombers are closing in fast!"

"Do it!"

The children waved as the tearful faces of their parents disappeared into the distance as the transport took off and made its way to the city gates. It was flanked by a huge squadron of air superiority fighters to prevent the enemy from taking it down. Ta'keth was in bad shape. Homes had been destroyed by fire and fallen wreckage, the streets were torn up and everything was covered in ashes. The ashes that fell from the black sky at this very moment. Shezu shivered. The armored suit also kept her warm but looking at the city beneath her brought back the images from the dream, but with one big difference. Not everyone was dead yet and it was up to them to prevent that part of the dream from becoming reality.

"I can't hold 'em off any longer! I need support, now!"

"Ze'tan to Commander Natal! I've lost visual on the enemy! I think they busted my sensors or something! ACU is barely responding!"

Kendra bit her teeth and ordered everyone to fall back. With the arrival of Quan-Thanamow on the battlefield, the intensity of the constant attacks had increased even more and their forces were dwindling by the minute. Their defenses were buckling and enemy tanks and bots had already destroyed the outer city gates and now rolled in the direction of their final line of defense. It was virtually impenetrable but Kendra had never fought a battle like this before. Multiple Commanders working together to defend a single position. Since their anti-air cover was so extensive, the main gate was the only way for the enemy to get their forces into the valley. And that was exactly what they were doing right now. Countless units ready to storm their defensive line, a wave of fighting metal, ready to roll over everything. But not them.

"We're gonna need a miracle," Gach'rho, the only Akrennian Commander in their ranks said. "We can't hold off this many for long."

"How about I play the role of the miracle," Stith grunted. "It ain't over till it's over."

If there was one thing Kendra was sure about it was that they had to take out Quan-Thanamow as quickly as possible. He had almost reached the shore and her HUD informed her that he had two other Commanders with him. They had to kill them all. There was one more thing. The Mantrins appeared to have a secret weapon of some kind, or so the Emperor told her. She had absolutely no idea what kind of weapon they had that could possible swing the outcome of this battle into their favor but it was worth a try. Anything was worth a try from this moment on. The transport she was asked to give cover had arrived and its pilot contacted her directly.

"Commander, there's someone aboard who wants to speak to you."

"Put him up."

The alien's face made place for another. He was obviously sitting in the back of the craft. The transmission was a little garbled and it was noisy.

"Am I speaking to the human Commander in charge?" the Mantrin yelled.

"Yes, I'm Commander Natal. Who are you and what kind of weapon are we talking about here?"

"Can you get us a safe place to land?"

"Safe place? Are you serious? Have you taken a look at what we're up against?"

"Please. We need a landing spot for this to work." Kendra sighed. So he was serious. "Tell the pilot to use the platform on top of the UEF Fatboy a couple of hundred meters to your left. It's the giant tank. It's probably the safest spot I can get you right now."

"Thank you. We'll do what we can from up there."

_Don't bother_. She practically knew it wouldn't make a single bit of difference. Just as the craft set down on top of the experimental tank, the overwhelming enemy force began to move. Like a giant tsunami they dashed at them, weapons firing as soon as they came within sufficient range. But long before that, they had artillery, tactical missiles and massive cannons pounding at them from a large distance. Nearly every Seraphim unit was there, supporting each other, forming the ultimate combination. But as the final battle began, she was still too curious to ignore whatever weapon the Mantrins had. Using her HUD to zoom in, what she saw made her mouth fall open in amazement.

"What?"

When the children stepped on the cold metal platform on top of the giant tank, they shivered with both cold and fear. They knew they were the only hope their people had but out here reality was much more frightening than from inside the palace. The tank had four massive triple-barreled cannons and the constant sound of their fire was deafening. Fortunately for them, their father had accounted for the noise of a battlefield and had given them ear protection. They had their powers, they wouldn't really need their ears anyway. But they could sure feel the sound of the cannons in their stomach each time they fired. In front of them a sea of enemy units stormed their position and it was up to them, to hold them off.

"It's up to you now," the children heard their father's voice in their right ear via the speaker. "Go my children. Show the galaxy what you're capable off. Concentrate. Let everything out and try to reach the people who are trying to destroy us. Make them change their mind about what they're doing."

They all nodded. Shezu closed her eyes. Her father walked back to the ship. He would stay as long as possible and encourage them, give them strength with his words. She knew what she had to do. She had to tap into that infinite source of power, but this time without losing control. But she was angry, angry at the people who were responsible for this and that gave her strength. Her fists sparked, her range was larger than ever and she could feel the enemy units, their differences, their strengths and their weaknesses. They were heavily armored but they were powered by an energy source. It didn't take her long to find it. It was powerful and for someone with her capabilities, easily destabilized. Stretching out her hand, to focus her power she held on to that source of energy and within the blink of an eye disrupted the containment field of the assault bot's reactor. She didn't have to open her eyes, or hear the explosion. She could feel it happening with her mind. The exploding reactor tore the chassis apart, debris flying in all directions, damaging nearby units. She had found an easy way to destroy them and her brothers and sisters had come to the same conclusion as she could feel more explosions, several of them. Opening her eyes, her brothers and sisters were standing next to her in a row, all looking at each other, thinking the same thing.

"_That's the way to do it." _

"_There are other ways too,"_ Reyan replied mentally. Throwing his fist forward with an aggressive move he launched an invisible attack against the nearest tank. Though the massive machine was a good two-hundred meters away, the unit received a massive blow against the front sending it flying through the air, crashing into several others, causing more damage. _"They're gonna pay for what they've done to us!"_

Shezu was amazed by Reyan's abilities. He just sent a one hundred ton tank flying through the air like a toy vehicle. But she knew why. He was angry and he too had discovered that his anger allowed him to tap into a source of power far beyond what they were used to.

"_Don't do that,"_ she warned him.

"_Do what?"_ he replied mentally, sending another tank flying.

It crashed on top of another and exploded.

"_You'll use much more energy that way. It'll wear you out."_

"_No it won't." _

"_We're wasting time, look." _Jicko pointed near the tank. The defenses were already beginning to buckle. They had to do something fast. _"I'll take this side together with my brother and Fran. Syndar, Eyza and Reylyn take right, while you and Reyan take the front. C'mon guys, they need our help." _

Shezu nodded firmly and concentrated on the enemy units in front of her. A few moments later a couple of blinding flashes marked their end. Reyan was more aggressive, blinded by his anger, sending enemy units flying left and right. But something else attracted her attention. It was a massive assault bot, more than a hundred meters tall. She could feel it lock on to the huge tank. She could feel blasts of energy coming at them at an incredible speed. She had to be honest with herself. She was scared but they had to take it down fast.

"_Reyan, I need your help with that." _Her brother gave her a mental nod and together they stretched out their hands. Just as before they explored the in -and outside of this new threat. It was massive, with nearly impenetrable armor but it didn't offer protection against their psychic energy. But the moment they touched the inside something weird happened. It was as if she touched a cable and got electricity sent through her body. It had a similar effect on her as she was snapped out of her concentration and stumbled back. Inside that thing, that enormous power. It felt as if it was alive somehow. _"Did you feel that?"_

She saw Reyan nod. Then she saw it in the corner of her eye. The machine had fired a massive blast at them and she was so distracted by what she had just touched with her mind that she hadn't seen it coming. The shield generator structure that blocked the initial attack from the machine was now destroyed and the only thing protecting them at this moment was the tank's own shield. The moment the blast hit the shield close to where she was standing, she was knocked back by a good portion of the pressure wave that leaked through the barrier of energy. Flying through the air together with Reyan, dizzy from the force of the explosion, her body feeling weightless for a few seconds, she saw the faces of the others turn into shock.


	43. Chapter 40 A Blinding Light

**A Blinding Light**

_What's happening? What is this? _One moment she was fighting off wave after wave of enemy units, trying to prevent an alien race from killing innocent people and now she was standing, or hovering, or was it floating in a place that couldn't be the real world. _Did I lose consciousness or something?_ No matter where she looked, everything and everywhere was white; a void in which nothing existed except for her. She felt strange. A bit warm and fuzzy and at the same time strangely comfortable. It was in the air, or whatever substance it was hanging around her.

"Hello?" At least she could hear her own voice. It didn't even echo. The sound waves just travelled on and on, endlessly, into the distance. She hadn't moved an inch since she arrived in this weird place but actually, she was afraid too. Afraid to fall, because she had nothing to focus on. She didn't even know if she was standing on something solid or just floating in this strange environment. "Anyone there?" she yelled, cocking her ears for a response. None came, which wasn't a surprise. No matter where she looked, she couldn't see a thing. "What is this place?" she asked herself out loud. Looking down at her hoof-like feet, she very carefully lifted the right one. Nothing. Not even a loss of balance. But when she put it down on whatever it was she was standing on, she almost fell, suddenly feeling solid ground under her feet, gravity pulling her down. Or did she expect gravity to pull her down to a surface? She could now actually see it when she looked closely. A floor, plain white, barely distinguishable from the rest of the environment. Tapping her plumed tail on the surface, she now definitely knew it was safe to walk. Taking a few timid steps, the sound her feet used to make were completely absorbed by the surface, yet it felt hard and solid. She heard herself sigh. She was getting nowhere and in the meantime the fate of her world was at stake. She didn't have time for this. "Can anyone hear me?"

"Shezu."

Turning around she instinctively did a step back. The person who had appeared behind her was someone she more or less expected to show up first. She just thought of him, a mere second ago. Nonetheless she flattened an ear.

"Dad?" she asked carefully.

Galen, or at least his figure smiled.

"I'm proud of you."

For some reason she wanted him to say that. She expected him to say that.

"Dad, what is this place?"

Galen laughed.

"You know."

"No?"

"These are your thoughts, your mind, your whole consciousness." Again, she actually knew that already. And it made perfect sense too. "For example, me? I'm just an image of your father, created by your thoughts. But I am him as your remember him, from ear tip to tail tip."

"But how? What's happening outside all this? I gotta get back."

"Well, only one way to find out. But there's something I gotta tell you first, Shezu."

"I don't have time for this. People's lives are at stake."

"You're afraid," Galen said a little bluntly, interrupting her. That was strange. If he was just a collection of thought patterns she was talking to herself right now. "You're afraid that letting your anger take over will cause you to lose control again. You're afraid to hurt innocent people." Now she knew. This whole thing. It was just a visual representation of the inner conflict she had been struggling with ever since she let herself be controlled by anger and hatred. After those horrible events she had sworn to herself never to let that happen ever again. She had become afraid of it, afraid that it was still somewhere inside of her, a dark presence, a wild animal, lying dormant. It was better if she kept it caged. "You have to let it go."

"I-I can't. I don't know what will happen. I'm scared."

"But it is the source of your power. Your brother Reyan discovered it too. The others are no different, though they haven't experienced it themselves yet."

"Can… can you help me?"

The image of her father smiled.

"Of course we'll help you!"

She was suddenly surrounded by her brothers and sisters. They were all happy, laughing, whipping their tails in excitement.

"How could I forget?"

"I'll help you." She knew that voice too and when she turned around, the image of Princess Stith stood behind her. "I've helped you before right? But I need your help too."

"Right."

Even her parents joined the growing group of people who cared about her. They encouraged her, wished her luck as their images slowly faded away. Only the image of her dad remained.

"D'you know what to do?"

"I think so," she replied with a shrug.

"Are you ready to go back?"

Then she heard a voice. Someone was yelling, though it came from far. But she didn't see anyone else.

"Who's that?"

"That? That's me, calling you. You were falling remember?" Listening very closely, she could hear it getting louder. "Go now. They need you."

Shezu smiled.

"Thanks."

Suddenly the voice didn't come from far anymore. It was her dad yelling into her ear. Snapping back to the real world she reacted lightning fast. She saw the faces of her brothers and sisters turned into shock. They yelled her name. She could feel her own body beginning to fall, saw the same thing happening to Reyan. The explosion was powerful; it had hit her like a brick wall but it was not enough to knock her out of the fight. _I know what to do. _Before her back could make contact with the platform, she released a shockwave of energy in all directions. Using the power of her mind to push herself back on her feet, she took a few seconds to catch her breath. Looking to herleft, Reyan seemed to have caught his fall nicely too.

"_You okay?" _He nodded, both physically and mentally.

"Shezu, Reyan, are you all right?"

Her father breathed a sigh of relief when she answered mentally. Looking over her shoulder, he was still there but the trembling of the platform under her feet made her aware that the massive machine was still there too. It was closing in, locking its weapons. The shield around the tank was buckling. They had to do something fast. With her mind linked to Reyan's they both did the same thing. She could feel her hesitation though and Reyan could feel it too. It wasn't the colossal machine itself that frightened her but that strange presence inside of it. Upon first contact she thought it was just pure energy but when she dug further she touched a consciousness of some kind. Very basic, more like an instinct actually. However, it only took the fraction of a second inside her own mind and that talk to the image of her dad for her to make a decision. If that thing, that creature of energy was somehow alive, maybe she could set it free.

"Stith! Stith, are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine. It's nothing."

Stith grunted, touching her hand to her head, feeling something warm, wet and sticky. She cursed. They got her and good too. The distorted voice of the ACU's computer tried to warn her for all kinds of things. She couldn't even hear it clearly. Her ears hurt and a deaf feeling was present in both of them. All she could hear was Akima's voice asking if she was okay. She didn't know what was happening outside but her ACU trembled, as if it was dragged over the ground. Probably Kendra, who promised to pull her out of the fight. Her HUD was not responding either. The viewers appeared to be intact but nothing worked.

"Warning, auto-repair system damaged. Auto-repair system offline. Unable to reactivate."

"Great! The whole thing's busted!"

"Stith, I'm pulling you out of the fight. You're going straight to medical."

"I'm fine. Just patch up this machine. I can still fight." Opening the small medical compartment, she searched it, trying to find something useful by touch. Treating the bleeding wound on her head with a tissue regenerator didn't do anything to alleviate the headache though. She had burned her leg and arm also when a conduit close to her body exploded. Searching the compartment again, she eventually found a pair of hypos as well. Pressing one of them against the bare skin of her neck, she released a sigh of relief when most of the pain dissipated in an instant. Then her eyes caught Mestral's picture still stuck between her HUD. The edges of her beak curved into a faint smile when she ran her fingers across it. That gave her strength, more than anything else. "I can do this mom. I promise I won't let you down." Her voice was nothing more than a quiet whisper. This was something she wanted to keep to herself. "Kendra, just fix me up okay?"

Suddenly her HUD responded. It was a distorted message from Akima. The battle raged on around her and she was in the middle of it, fighting for her friend's world. Her voice however had more than a touch of concern in it.

"Stith please, don't do this."

"I have to, Akima. You're my best friend and I will not abandon you. I made you a promise."

"You don't have to prove anything, Stith. You've had enough."

Before she could respond the transmission was interrupted by static when something detonated near Akima's ACU. Her human friend cursed and growled something inaudible.

"You all right?"

"Fine. Please, I don't want anything to happen to you. You've got two lovely children waiting for their mom to come home."

Stith sighed and gave it a thought, but not for long.

"If we fail, we're gonna die anyway. I'd rather die fighting than waiting for them to kill me."

"Don't say that!" Akima snarled. "Have a little faith."

"Ah ah, I don't do faith. The only thing I believe in is Kirliya and her ability to give us strength when we need it. And now is one of those moments."

"Damn it, Stith! Why do you always have to be so stubborn!"

"Because I'm a Mantrin! Better get used to it!" She made a sound that held the middle between a snort and a laugh. "C'mon, send me an engineer to get my repair system back up. I'll take it from there. Kendra, I know you can hear me!"

"I'm already on it," Kendra replied via audio only. "We kinda have our hands full at the moment."

Suddenly her HUD flickered, the screens coming back up again. Something was repairing her damaged systems. What they showed to her however made her inside turn cold. It prevented her from breathing. Their forces were dwindling, their defenses crumbled; it wouldn't take long before they broke through to the city. _No, it can't end like this._ Her controls came back online. Her damaged ACU stood back up automatically. The mind of its pilot was being clouded by rage. _I'm not gonna let them destroy our world. _She firmly grabbed the pair of joysticks, nearly crushing them in her balled fists.

"You're gonna pay for this," she hissed between clenched teeth. "Dearly."

Reaching out with her mind, together with her brother Reyan, Shezu again tried to make contact with the entity inside the colossal Seraphim war machine. It was still there, powerful, an enormous concentration of quantum energy and a most unusual form of life. This time however, she was prepared and the moment she touched it's basic consciousness, she somehow connected with it. It was so unlike any mind she had ever touched. It was hard to understand for her as well. She wasn't even sure if communicating with it on any level was possible, yet she tried.

"_Are you alive?" _A nearby explosion disrupted her concentration and she nearly lost contact. She needed every single bit of it to try and communicate with this creature of energy. _"Who are you?"_ Then, just when she thought, it was like talking to an animal, some kind of mental surge went through her mind. She gasped for breath when it happened. She didn't need any form of language to understand what it was trying to tell her. Anger, hatred and fear. She knew those feelings so well. And this being was experiencing them too. She could feel it. It was very strong. _"I'll set you free." _

The creature was being held inside a powerful containment field, holding it captive, drawing power from its shapeless body to power the machine.

"_Shezu."_

Someone tried to warn her. It were her brothers and sisters. Their defenses were weakening. They had to do something quick. She however, couldn't allow any of this to happen.

"_Fight it," _she told the creature. _"I'll help you." _Using her psychic energy she began to disrupt the prison of energy. The creature was fighting, as she told it to do, lashing out with its powerful energy, hitting the containment field. Their combined efforts severely weakened the field. It started to buckle and the giant machine began to suffer from power failures. It's power source was becoming unstable. Grinding her teeth, Shezu could feel a dip in her concentration when more explosions nearby disrupted her connection. _"No, I won't!" _Tapping into her anger, she sent a powerful burst of psychic energy into the generators. A series of explosions tore them apart. _"You're free. Go now."_

Opening her eyes, she witnessed the end of the giant machine. The creature began tearing through its armor from the inside, using its tentacles of energy as whips of destruction. Explosions ripped the outer hull apart, allowing the creature to escape the burning husk that collapsed to the ground, sending waves of dirt in all directions. It was uncontrollable, ripping through the Seraphim's own armies with its tentacles, sending units flying, cutting through them and wreaking havoc on their forces. She smiled, when it eventually disappeared and returned to its own dimension. Another assault bot went down to the far left of their defensive border, its creature set free. The faint smile on her face was wiped off instantly when another explosion hit nearby. It knocked her off her feet this time and she fell forward on her arms. Looking up, she noticed that the shield around them was gone. The tank and anything on it was open to attack. Her hearts were racing in her throat. Scrambling to her feet, driven by fear, she made the others aware of the danger. Taking a deep breath, she spread her arms and closed her eyes, projecting a barrier of energy around her. Extending it would wear her out much faster but the others were aware of what she was trying to do and helped her.

"_I don't think… we can keep this up for long." _

Even saying it mentally seemed to cost her brother Syndar a lot of effort. They had extended the shield as far as needed to protect their father and the transport ship but it was wearing them out much faster than if they had be using it only to protect themselves.

"Shezu, can you hear me?"

"_I can hear you, dad. You have to go. I don't think we can keep this up for long." _

She was panting already. She felt like lifting a ton of weight on her shoulders. And in the meantime the explosions were all around them. They were hitting the tank and their shield hard. Dirt and debris was flying everywhere.

"Shezu, the human Commander says they can't hold them off much longer. If there's anything you can do, you have to do it now. The people who're trying to kill us all are right here. Find them. Do what's necessary to make them stop."

"_I'll try. Please dad, go. We can't protect you any longer."_

"Then don't. Let it go. Spare your energy. I'll be fine."

Looking over her shoulder through her own tears, he was standing in the cargo hold of the transport, waving at them.

"Just a bit longer," she growled through gritted teeth. "Gotta… find him." Using her anger and the enormous weight of her task as a source of power, she reached out, searching the battlefield, trying to find a mind that was not one of her own people, nor any mind she knew. She was looking for a mind shrouded in darkness, evilness. Something that would make her shiver whenever she touched it. For someone with her abilities it wasn't that hard but keeping the shield up was hard enough without having to divide her concentration. _"Dad, what's taking you so long?" _

"We're having trouble with the engine. Lower your shield, Shezu. You're making it harder for yourself. I'll be fine. Just find him. It's up to you and your brothers and sisters now. Only you can stop him."

"No! I'm not gonna give in."

She shouted loudly and reached out for one more time. There he was. His mental signature was like a lit beacon on a map and indeed it made her shiver. There were two more with him. _He_ however was the primary target. As she invaded his mind she was met by resistance however. It cost her much more effort. It was unlike any mind she had ever touched. Every mind was unique but this one was evil, dark, twisted. She also felt it hadn't always been this way. But the hardships of this person's life had made him and his mind to what they were now. It only took a split second for her to uncover this and much more. But it only took that same amount of time for him to react.

"_Who are you?"_ he asked her mentally. _"What are you doing inside my head, you filthy creature?"_ She sucked in her breath between her teeth when he said that mentally with so much viciousness that she almost believed his words could slice her in pieces.

"_Are you all right, Shezu?"_ Jicko asked.

She sensed the others listening.

"_He's resisting me. His mind is strong. I'm not sure I'm able to break him." _

Suddenly, part of their shield disappeared with a tiny flash. It was Reylyn. The poor little girl was so tired that she fell on her knees, unable to keep herself from falling on the platform.

"_I'm, so tired," _her weak mental voice said.

Another flash and the young Fran overcame the same fate. Jicko and his brother Pynch's shields collapsed too but instead of disappearing they decreased the radius and used their energy now for their protection and that of Reylyn and Fran.

"_I'm sorry, Shezu." _

"_It's fine. Protect Reylyn and Fran." _

_Dad, what are you still doing here? _The transport still hadn't taken off.

"_Get out of my head, you filthy pheasant."_

It was as if he had slapped her in the face, almost knocking her out of his mind, but she held on, by a tiny little string of concentration, while the battle around her raged on like a fiery hurricane.

"_He's too strong. He's blocking me out of his mind." _

"_I'll help you." _

It was her sister Eyza who placed her hands on her shoulders. It meant that the Sonowan girl could no longer hold up her part of the shield but she was almost completely exhausted anyway. But with her additional energy she could break through to him again, aggressively forcing herself into the depths of his mind.

"_What're you doing? Get out of my head!" _

"_No. You're gonna stop this madness! End it, or I will end you!" _

"_You'll pay for this!" _

The attacks now seemed to focus on her, hitting her shield on all sides. Syndar and Reyan's knees hit the platform too. They had trouble breathing, barely able to prevent themselves from losing consciousness.

"_I… I'm sorry." _

She couldn't do it. She wasn't strong enough. Nothing she did could make a single bit of difference. A tear rolled down her cheek. She noticed it falling down, hitting the deck, shattering into a millions pieces, just like all the hope they had left. Her shield collapsed too. The searing heat of an energy blast whizzed past her. She watched it happen, without being able to do anything about it. It's target was set for the people she loved.

"_Jicko! Reylyn! Watch out!" _

Jicko's head snapped in her direction, petrified with fear, his eyes looking straight at the white-hot burst of energy. The moment it hit his weakened shield, an explosion sent them both flying through the air. She watched their motionless bodies flying through the air, lost their minds on her mental radar. Unable to break their fall, they hit the hard metal platform in an ugly way, without even flinching afterwards. There was another explosion nearby. With the tears streaming down her face, she had to watch Pynch and Fran, Pynch trying to protect his smaller brother being slapped away by the shockwave and launched off the platform. Falling over the edge, they disappeared out of sight. She wasn't paying attention to herself. She vainly tried to create a shield around them when Reyan and Syndar grabbed her arms and pulled her back from the next blast. The only thing she succeeded in was protecting herself. Syndar, Eyza and Reyan were launched backwards. Looking back, with the searing heat of the flames surrounding her, she watched her father's ship finally take off. He was still standing in the cargo hold, yelling to the pilot. He wanted to go back for them, but he couldn't.

"_Forgive me, dad."_ Within a split second her whole inside turned colder than the depths of space. She felt the searing heat of the giant energy blast when it passed high over her head. It raced toward its target. There was nothing she could do. Nothing that anyone could do. Her father was waving. A last farewell. _"No." _

There was a bright flash in which he disappeared forever. He was gone. Burning remains of the ship crashed down on the deck. It struck her unlike anything she had ever felt. She couldn't sense him anymore, neither could she sense her brothers and sisters. The world felt empty without them. Grabbing her head in despair she fell down on her knees, screaming hysterically, closing her eyes against the pain in her hearts. Nothing mattered anymore. Her whole world died around her. Everyone was gone and the only thing with her in that terrifying and excruciatingly painful moment was the voice of the person who killed them. She was beyond grief, beyond anger and beyond hatred. This was unlike any feeling she had ever felt until something inside of her exploded with the power of a supernova.

Even if she did her best, she couldn't describe it. It took away all the negative feelings of anger, fear and grief she experienced just a moment ago and turned them into an incredibly powerful energy inside of her. Her whole body began pulsating with it, giving off waves of light that spread in all directions and became stronger and stronger. She started to glow with a cleansing white light that served as both a shield and a weapon. It slapped away the pulses of crackling energy fired in her direction and sent them back to where they came from. When she finally opened her eyes, they glowed with the power of a sun. Hovering on an invisible field of energy she rose above the platform a few meters, still spreading the waves of light like a miniature pulsar. When she used her mental voice, not only to speak to Quan-Thanamow and his Commanders but to everyone in and around Ta'keth, it wasn't her own voice speaking. It was something beyond.

From the cockpits of their ACU's Kendra and her Commanders watched. The enemy units who had been ferociously attacking them just a moment ago, now turned away from their buckling defenses to attack the bright source of light floating above the wreck of a destroyed unit. Their efforts seemed to be completely in vain though. Their bolters and plasma cannons couldn't even reach the center of the energy. Using her HUD to zoom in on the center, using a filter to protect her eyes, she was completely astonished, without words. It was simply impossible. Akima stammered something over the general com channel.

"It's… It's… God?"

"It is Kirliya the Enlightened," Stith's voice replied.

It sounded as if she captured by the moment and Kendra was experiencing the same thing. She couldn't stop staring at it.

"It is _The Way_. How is that possible?"

How could _The Way_, the spiritual force capable of bringing complete peace to its believers, flow straight through this alien child in its purest form? It was everything her people believed in while these Mantrins hadn't even heard of it until now. And then she heard the voice, inside her mind only but just as clear as if she had been standing next to her. It was beautiful, like the voice one would expect from a divine being coming from a realm beyond this one.

"_Quan-Thanamow, you and your kind have done nothing but cause harm to the inhabitants of this world and many others. Not only did you mercilessly take the lives of millions of my people but you've taken the lives of my family as well. For that, you must pay the ultimate price."_

Quan-Thanamow still couldn't believe his eyes. _The Way_, the foundation on which his people and his entire existence were built, had somehow taken possession of this alien being. And it was going to punish him for his deeds now?

"_No! This is obviously some kind of trick! It's impossible!" _

Blinded by anger, he gathered every single unit on the battlefield and ordered a direct attack on the entity that had spoken to him mentally. In the meantime, he charged up his _Chronotron Cannon _for a final blast. But before he could pull the trigger, a surge of energy raced directly toward him, cutting a deep trench inside the ground, tossing tanks and assault bots aside like pebbles. When it reached him, it aggressively forced itself into his mind, ramming him backwards into his seat, blinding his sight. Grabbing his head, he screamed, feeling as if his brain exploded.

"Sir, what's going o-"

He vaguely heard the voice of his Commanders before they were overcome by the same fate. He had no idea what was going on. The cleansing light entered his body, felt like it was burning him from the inside. His body began to radiate with the same light that filled his cockpit.

"_Your heart contains nothing but evil and a desire to destroy life. It has been clouded by darkness since the day you volunteered to become a warrior of your race. That darkness cannot be allowed to remain inside you any longer."_

A final blast pushed itself toward him and his Commanders. His last thoughts, before his body dissolved into tiny particles of light were of the life before he became a warrior. The part he had lost ever since the ritual. He was reunited with _The Way_ once again. The tiny particles inside the cockpits exploded, taking the machines themselves with it. But instead of a pair of thermonuclear detonations, three quakes of light created waves that washed over the scarred land, destroying the machines of war, cleaning it from the dark destructive presence of the tortured Seraphim souls. Still floating in the sky, a few meters above the platform, Shezu watched her world become free of war, destruction and killing once again. The Seraphim reign of terror was over. The enormous power she wielded was no longer needed.

As the light surrounding her began to dim, her eyes turned back to normal and caught the fallen bodies of her brothers and sisters. She couldn't feel them. Despite all that power, she couldn't bring them back, or could she? A white glowing tear left her eye, rolled over her cheek, fell down, creating a puddle of light when it hit the platform. Spreading her arms, the glow around her intensified again for a moment. There was a bright flash when seven beams of light left her body, homed in on the fallen bodies of those she loved, and made them glow. As the energy left her, she slowly lowered herself to the platform, her will to bring them back draining her of all her strength. But she was succeeding. Her energy healed their wounds, made their hearts beat strongly again, reactivated their minds. Her young little sister was the first to wake up, as from a dream. Pushing herself up, Reylyn yawned and rubbed her eye with her fist. Feeling a bit dizzy and tired she looked up at the source of the light that slowly dimmed as she watched it.

"Shezu?" When her feet were about two meters away from the platform, there was a tiny flash, the seven beams of light narrowing and eventually disappearing. Then she fell, her body motionless, hitting the platform with a bang. She didn't even scream or move afterwards. "Shezu!" Next to her was Jicko, waking up too, looking around confusedly, mumbling something indistinct. Scrambling to her feet, Reylyn ran toward her fallen sister, evading the sharp smoldering pieces of metal debris on the platform. When she reached her, she fell on her knees, her hearts beating in her throat. Her sister's eyes were closed. She didn't move. When she tried to reach her mentally, nothing happened. She didn't even have enough strength for a simple mental nudge. "Shezu, wake up!" She shook her shoulder but nothing happened. "Shezu!"

She didn't know what to do. She and her sister were still wearing the armored suit given to them by their father. First she pulled out her own –fortunately they were wearing their normal clothes underneath- then she tried to remove Shezu's, exposing her chest. Her clothes were still intact and she didn't appear to be injured but she was unresponsive in any way. In the mean time her brothers and sisters were trying to get Fran and Pynch, who had fallen off the platform back up. Only by using their combined power, they succeeded, falling on the platform, panting. Reylyn sniffled, tears trickling down her cheeks.

"Shezu. Wake up sister." Still no response. She tried shaking her shoulder again but to no avail. "Please."

She knew it. It pierced straight through her hearts like a sword of grief. Her shoulders began to shake as she was overcome by a sorrow without equal. Dropping her head to her sister's chest she cried. She cried like she had never cried before. She was inconsolable, even by her brothers and sisters who surrounded her, sunk on their knees. Jicko placed his hand on her back, rubbing softly, unable to hold back his own tears just like all of them.

"She can't be," Reyan said angrily, stomping his fist against the metal. "She's too strong."

Closing his eyes, Jicko tried to sense her, trying to feel if there was anything left in her. He did feel her thought, but it wasn't coming from where he expected it to come from.

"I can feel her, inside of me. She sacrificed her own life for us."

Reyan growled, covering up his grief with anger like always, his voice distorted by angry sobs.

"Why?" he shouted. "Why did she do that? She didn't owe us her life! She saved our entire world and now she's gone!"

"Maybe not," Eyza whispered, flinging an arm around Fran, who buried his face in her chest. "I can feel her too. I think she gave up part of herself trying to save us. We might be able to give it back."

"But how can we do that?" Pynch sobbed. "I feel so weak already."

"Something's happening to Reylyn," Syndar warned them. The Orketh girl's body began to glow with the same white energy that radiated from Shezu before she fell. "What should we do?"

Without answering, Jicko placed his hand on Shezu's stomach. Not long thereafter, the same glow took possession of him too. First he shivered but the feeling was unusually pleasant. The others followed his example, giving back that tiny bit of their sister back to her own body. It took a couple of seconds before the glow dissipated and everything turned back to normal. Reylyn looked up, gently pushing with her muzzle to her sister's cheek.

"Shezu," she sobbed. "Please sister, come back to us." Suddenly they felt the platform trembling underneath them. When they looked around, the ACU's of the brave Commanders defending their planet approached them, keeping a safe distance. From the direction of the city, another transport ship arrived, landing behind them, men with weapons jumping out of the cargo bay. They didn't even see it. All eyes were fixed on their still motionless sister. "Please," Reylyn begged, her tears falling on Shezu's face. Then suddenly, as the first rays of the sun broke through the black clouds of the darkened sky, a column of light hitting their group, she twitched an ear, very slightly. Nobody noticed it first. They were completely worn out. But when she finally opened her eyes, peeking through narrow slits at first, Reylyn's beak fell open. "Shezu?"

"Hey… guys." It was everything she managed to bring out.

"Shezu."

So grateful for having her sister back, Reylyn flung her arms around her neck and cried. She was so tired that she fell asleep on her chest and didn't even notice when strong hands took care of her.


	44. Chapter 41 One More Battle

**One More Battle**

Stith grunted, ignoring the pain in her injured leg as she walked back to the palace with Akima and the rest of their group of Commanders. There wasn't a part of her that didn't hurt; burns all over her body, her ears still ringing from the shelling and the explosions. But they made it out of that battle alive and Sogowa Prime was free of war once again and those were the most important things. Not only did the conflict take the lives of countless civilians but they had lost people from the same caliber as they were too. Not just rookies or Mantrins but humans as well, Kendra's people, good men and women who were prepared to give their lives to save thousands of others.

"What happened out there?" Akima asked as they climbed the broad stairs to the entrance, evading the craters that destroyed part of the steps.

The city behind them had taken severe damage but it had been spared as were its inhabitants. It was finally over and thanks to something no one had been able to figure out just yet.

"I'm as much in the dark as you are," her friend grumbled. "But I sure felt it. That light. I thought I was looking at Kirliya herself."

Akima didn't know what to say. She knew it couldn't really be Kirliya herself. She didn't want to mock with her friend's beliefs but she had seen it too and had no explanation for it. She was aware of the children's powers but didn't expect any of them capable of harnessing a strength of God-like proportions. There was only one way to find out.

She was shocked when they had finally reached the throne hall through endless corridors filled with Stith's people. They had been through a living nightmare, looked in the eyes of death. Now they could finally heave a sigh of relief. As their group walked past, she was touched by the gratitude in their eyes. Men, women and children. Some of them nodded respectfully, others thanked them personally, even blessed them. The throne hall was filled with people too including her friend's family. She felt a little lonely right now and began to wish Cale was here.

"Stith!" It was Kero who ran up to her and embraced her firmly. Flinging her arms around his neck she held on to him tightly. "Thank Kirliya, you're all right."

"I'm fine. You're back." Releasing her, he licked her cheek and nuzzled in her neck, making soft purring sounds, which she made too. Resting her head on his chest, she felt his arms enclosing her again. "I missed you so much."

"Tell me what. Not a day went by without me thinking about you all the time."

Then they both noticed Akima, looking the other way, a bit down. Stith released her mate and stepped up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I know. You miss him a lot do you?"

"I haven't seen him in months, Stith. I hope he's all right."

Her voice trailed off in a sob. Taking a deep breath, she bit her teeth and screwed up her courage. No room for thoughts like that now. When Kero's eyes found hers he smiled.

"I wanna thank you, for all your efforts to save us. You're one of the bravest people I know."

"Thanks. But I had to. A friend and her whole world were in need." He placed his large comforting hand on her shoulder but she shook it off. "I'm fine, really."

"Oh c'mon, give me a hug."

Her head just barely reached his chest but she was overwhelmed by his kindness, holding her with one hand, caressed her head. It was only then that she noticed people around her were crying. They were the parents of the eight children that together managed to do the impossible.

With tears trickling down her cheeks, Shiweyah held her daughter in her arms. Shezu could barely keep her eyes open. She was so tired, yet everything that happened she remembered so clearly. But she had the strangest feeling. She felt devastated. Galen was gone. He disappeared in a flash. It was carved into her memory forever. But that light had taken all the feelings of anger and grief away, turned them into an incredible power. She could see herself floating above everything else again. Something or someone had been with her. Was it Kirliya the Enlightened, or her own brothers and sisters? The only thoughts that coursed through her mind at that moment hadn't been hatred or revenge but justice. She had to stop Quan-Thanamow at all costs. But despite all that power there was one person she couldn't bring back.

"He's gone mom," she sobbed. "I-I wasn't strong enough."

"He… He really meant a lot to you, didn't he?"

She nodded. Her father gently touched his hand to her cheek, brushing her hair out of her face.

"I loved him, as much as I love you, dad."

Her father gave her a soft lick on her cheek. Stretching out her hand to touch his, he grabbed it.

"I love you too. I'm so proud of what you did out there."

"Shezu?"

Looking to her left, Reylyn smiled back at her. She was lying in her mother's arms too.

"Are you all right, Reylyn?"

The Orketh girl nodded.

"Thanks to you."

Then she abruptly fell silent. She opened her beak to say something but it took her a while to actually produce a sound.

"I… I can't sense you, sister. I can't feel you anymore."

It took a while for her mind to process what she just said. She suddenly felt a very tight feeling on her chest. She had been willing to sacrifice her own life for them, yet they brought her back. There was obviously still a price to pay.

"W-What did you say?"

"I can see you sister, but I can't reach you."

Closing her eyes to concentrate, she instantly noticed she was very weak. She was both physically and mentally exhausted but there were still a few things she could do. Then she realized what Reylyn meant. She hadn't lost any of her powers, they were just weak, but her brothers and sisters did. When she touched her little sister's mind, she could look into her thoughts, feel her like they so often did, but there was no mental response. Reylyn's abilities were gone.

"You've given up your powers, just to save me?"

And it wasn't just her. All seven of them were with her in the room, and she couldn't sense a single one of them. They were back to being normal children. But Reylyn nodded and smiled.

"I had to."

"Shezu, what's wrong? Are you hurt?" her mother asked, her voice covered with concern.

But her daughter didn't reply. Her mother wouldn't be able to see or understand it. Yes she was hurt, invisibly, a scar left on her mind, causing a pain far worse than any physical injury. It was a condition she shared with most other people in the room. But there was one person in particular whose pain surpassed all the others. She could feel him even before he entered the room and when he did, everyone fell silent. Emperor Zahn slowly walked in, moving toward Commander Natal in the middle of the throne hall. Looking down upon her, he stumbled over his words when he spoke.

"I… I don't know how to thank you. You've saved my people; something I failed to do." Tears started flowing over his cheeks. He felt like being all alone in a room filled with a tense silence. "We are forever in your dept." Kendra wasn't sure what to say. There was nothing more he could've done. He had to lay the fate of his entire world and his people into her hands. Turning toward his people, he fell on his first set of knees on the tiled floor. "I-I'm sorry. I tried to do what I could, to save everyone… And it wasn't enough. Forgive me."

Without holding back he cried. He couldn't help himself. He felt so guilty for his people's suffering. All the pain from families torn apart, cities destroyed, a beautiful world devastated. It was too much. If they were angry at him, he wouldn't even blame them. However, on the contrary something else happened. A little girl, maybe three or four years old at most, slowly stepped up to him and hugged his leg. When he looked at her, through eyes that were blurred by tears, there was pity in the child's eyes. Not long thereafter, a Mantrinesse from the Trunali tribe sat down in front of him, flung her arms around his neck and hugged him. Ayi'kutan stepped up to him and cleared his throat.

"I won't forget that you sent your son to bring us to your home, to safety. On behalf of my people, I thank you."

Zahn swallowed, the guilt he felt slowly turning into gratitude toward his people, his entire race. Another Mantrinesse and mother of two children hugged him as well. She was from the city.

"It's not your fault. We forgive you. If it's anyone's fault, it's those aliens."

More people hugged him and it didn't take long before he found himself surrounded by them, men, women and children, trying to comfort him, sharing his sorrow. Kendra, Akima and his whole family watched from a distance.

"Oh Zahn," The'lah whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

Kero placed his head on her shoulder and licked her cheek. It was rare to find a ruler so committed to the well-being and safety of his people. They truly loved him. It made his family feel proud of him and it was something to be proud of. Even Kendra and Akima were touched by the sight. The Emperor was not only a loving husband and father of two children, but a good ruler to his people as well.

A few moments later, Kendra stood on the balcony to get some air, gazing over the destroyed city. When she looked closely, she saw people in the cratered streets in the distance. They had come out of their shelters to see what was left of it. The ash had stopped falling and the sky was getting clearer, the smoke being blown away by the wind. They had barely managed to save it; they had almost broken through. But they did, thanks to a very special girl of this very special race of aliens. It was something she couldn't get out of her head. Akima had said something about God, and the Mantrins still talked about their God, Kirliya. But she was so certain it was _The Way_ in its purest form, using an alien child as a medium. There was no denying it. She had seen it with her own eyes. Of course she knew about the girl's abilities, but this was something far beyond the power of the mind. Something else happened and she was burning with desire to find out.

"Terrible, isn't it?" Akima, who suddenly stood next to her said.

Leaning on her arms on the stone railing, she took a deep breath.

"They're a strong people. It will all be rebuilt."

"I'm not just talking about the city. It's the people. D'you how many lives were lost in the past few months?"

It was true. Despite all their efforts, they couldn't save everyone including themselves. It began with Joshua Starke, then Crusader Kallea, Commander Dixon and several others. Even some of the Mantrin Commanders died for their world, protecting their people till the last possible moment. It was very honorable and their most preferred way to make 'the crossing'.

"They won't be forgotten. _The Way_ will provide."

"They're the true heroes, not us." Akima shook her head. They had only saved one planet from being destroyed by the Seraphim. It was far from over. Kendra had another group of Commanders systematically wipe out every single Seraphim base to prevent them from bringing in a new Commander via a quantum gate. The _Spirit of the Way_ was still guarding the system, on the lookout for any signs of Seraphim vessels. They had just freed this world and they had to make sure it stayed that way. But they still had a major task ahead. "Kendra? There's still one thing I wanna know. What would you have done if that child hadn't been there?"

With her gaze directed at a point in the distance, she took a deep breath.

"Fight. Till the bitter end. It's all we could've done."

"No it's not."

The intense blue eyes of her Commander flashed at her, glittering dangerously.

"Are you calling me liar?"

"Maybe," she replied boldly, without so much as a flinch. "I noticed you out there, on the battlefield. You were busy switching you back shield for a Personal Teleporter. Now what good would that have done?"

First she kept her mouth shut. She didn't owe her subordinate an explanation for everything. But during the course of this war, she had seen Akima change. She hadn't been the kind-hearted girl from the start; she was a tough one all right, a starship pilot. Becoming a soldier however had the tendency to change a person, sometimes for the worst. With every passing day she had seen her become a bit more like her.

"It was a last resort," she grumbled.

She noticed Akima frown and when it got to her she was surprised.

"You were planning to sacrifice yourself, weren't you?"

"I said, it was a last resort. There was a major risk involved, one I wasn't even sure if I were willing to take."

"Well, what would you've done then?"

She sighed, not willing to go into this right now. She was already glad she didn't have to go with that option. It could've destroyed more than that it would've saved.

"I would've ordered everyone to fire everything they had at them, cripple their shields and armor."

"And then?"

"Then I would've activated my teleporter and given him the final blast myself."

"That would've gotten you killed for sure," Akima replied after a moment.

There was something about her tone she didn't like.

"You're judging me, based on a decision I was willing to make?"

"Well were you? Were you willing to take that risk?"

"I don't owe you an explanation."

"Were you?"

"I guess we'll never find out, now will we?" Her eyes flickered again, her silvery white hair waving in the cool breeze that blew over the city. "Don't you think I've thought it over a thousand times? I was out of options. The risks were extreme. Remember an ACU detonation? Now imagine that times four and think about what it would've done to the city and to you. It could've blasted a piece off the planet. Don't you think I know that?"

Turning her back on the woman who during the past few months had become the closest thing to a friend she ever had, she walked away. It was time to go back to the _Spirit of the Way_ and assess the current situation in the rest of the quadrant. A plan was set up to remove the Seraphim from this universe for good. Soon it would be put into action and then she could finally go back to her old life.

"Kendra wait. I was outta line and I'm sorry."

Looking over her shoulder, she stopped.

"It's fine. What is it?"

"I'm going with you."

"If the galaxy hasn't exploded in the meantime we'll leave in six hours. Get some rest and be ready then."

The first thing Stith did when she arrived in her bedroom was letting herself fall down on her back on the bed and heave a long sigh. It was quickly followed by a yawn and an irritated groaning when she stretched her injured leg. She felt beaten up and tired and if the choice was hers she would stay down on the bed and take a long nap.

"You've earned it."

Kero sat down on the edge of the bed, leaned back and grabbed her hand, squeezing softly.

"I can't," she sighed, pushing herself back up. "I can't stop thinking about what happened."

"Yeah, I saw the light too. It was Shezu, right?" Stith nodded, watching parents and their children leave their room. Some of them were so small, just Mantries. _They must have been terrified. _"You should've seen it a few moments ago. Our whole bedroom and the nursery filled with little ones." Kero smiled. "I had trouble finding our own."

Stith groaned again.

"Oh, where are they? I wanna see them. I wanna hold them. I don't wanna part from them ever again." Then her eyes caught her dad, coming from the nursery, handing over the infant in his arms to its parents. It was a little boy, cackling happily, gently caressing between Ganyu's nostrils as his parents thanked him for his good care and took their son home. The smile on his face grew wider as he watched them leave and noticed his daughter had come home. "Dad."

She leapt up and ran toward him, throwing herself against his warm chest while he wrapped his arms around her.

"Thank Kirliya for keeping you safe," he whispered in her ear.

"We did it, dad. We saved our world."

"Your mother would've been so proud of you. Just as proud as I am."

"Mommy."

Releasing her father, she scooped up her son. Touching her muzzle to his cheek, he gave her a soft lick. Kero picked up Jalla and held her in his arms while Stith nuzzled between her ears. Jalla cackled with laughter and stroke her cheek. When Kero's wristcom chimed they both looked up and cocked their ears, trying to find out where that nice little chime came from. But before that, Kero handed his daughter over to Ganyu and answered, moving to a corner of the room to talk.

"Go ahead."

"Sir, I hope I'm not interrupting, but I thought you should know that the second assault fleet has arrived."

"That's all right Rilas. What are they here for?"

"Resupply and emergency repair. They'll leave again in a few hours. The _Son of the Empire_'s been ordered to join them."

"What's their heading?"

"The Republic appears to be gathering a fleet. We're mobilizing everything we can spare to aid them in their efforts. The plan seems to be simple. Strike fast and hit 'em hard. We're gonna give those Seraphim a taste of their own medicine."

"Then I suggest you get some rest. Tell the crew to hit their bunks. Wake me up when we're about to leave. Stith and I will be there."

"Understood."

"Kero out."

* * *

"Continue firing! Don't give 'em any room!"

"Sir, the _Arcadia_ is launching more _Dominator_s."

Korso feverishly kept both eyes on the battle in front of him, feeling the cold sweat on his face and leaking in his neck. For the past few hours the Solbrecht system had been under heavy assault by the Seraphim. Every time they thought it was over they came back with more reinforcements, barely giving them time to breathe, let alone make repairs or re-arm. The Seraphim ships were tough and space was filled with them, large capital ships with powerful long range weaponry, smaller battlecruisers loaded with missiles and dozens of smaller ships which were basically the same craft as those they faced on the surface of Earth aboard the _Icarus_ but modified to perform in space which they did more than well. The _Dominators_ did an excellent job of turning them to scrap but were having a hard time against so many. Biting his teeth, he grabbed the armrests of his chair when Cale forced the _Valkyrie_ into a tight turn to evade the blasts fired at them. A couple of guided missiles collided with their shields. There was an explosion of sparks behind him, wires and the remains of a blown conduit dangling from the ceiling, leaking gas on the command deck.

"Cut off that flow!" Brian yelled, coughing.

"Fire torpedoes! That battleship's almost history!"

"We're running low on them. Only got four left!"

"Let's make 'em count."

The Seraphim warship directly in front of them was heavily damaged, it's shiny armor ripped to shreds, fire and plasma bleeding from the wounds and the engines.

"It's turning! They're retreating!"

"No, they're not! They won't escape this one! Fire!"

The last of the remaining photon torpedoes left the _Valkyrie_'s forward launch tubes, accompanied by a barrage of her lasers. They made short work of any small craft trying to sacrifice themselves for the main target. As the torpedoes buried themselves into the battered hull, their explosions tore through the armor like wet paper. Shielding his eyes from the initial flash, Korso watched contentedly as the debris flew in all directions, causing more damage to the enemy's forces.

"They're retreating, Captain."

"You know what that means, Yani. They'll be back soon for more."

Derek let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm gonna need more ammo, sir. Our lasers alone won't do. It looks like we've blown a capacitor on the aft battery."

"You may be right, Lieutenant. Cale, take us in. We've gotta put this moment to good use."

"Aye sir."

"Captain, the remaining Seraphim ships are warping out, all of them."

"I still don't trust it. Keep an eye on sensors. They might come back." That was strange. The last few times they retreated they kept at a least a small group ships within sensor range of their perimeter, but according to Yani, they had all warped out. "Gune, can you trace their heading to a possible location? They might have a repair and re-arming facility nearby, maybe even a shipyard of some kind."

"Gune is on it, Captain."

"Captain, the _Los Angeles_ is launching escape pods! I'm detecting an overload in their power systems."

"Get me a view on-"

But before he could finish his sentence the window viewer already displayed the explosion and the scattering life pods. There were few of them, most of them destroyed in the blast or damaged by it. Korso growled in frustration. Another ship lost, another couple of hundred deaths. It was maddening and in the meantime their enemy hadn't lost a single soul yet. Every one of their ships was unmanned, controlled from a distance, just like last time with the Machines. It was easy for them to make sacrifices, do whatever necessary to achieve their sick goals, like wiping out every single being on the planet they were defending. _Not anymore_. Within a few hours, a large fleet composed of ships from every Republic world and more would gather here in the Solbrecht system. It was risky, as they had to pull back ships from other fronts and leave them with an absolute minimum defensive force. They only had but one shot at this.

It was a couple of hours later when Akima watched and felt the _Spirit of the Way_ drop to sublight speed from the wardroom of The Illuminate starship. Her Captain immediately had to order his helmsman to steer clear of debris as the Solbrecht system was filled with it. Wreckage of destroyed vessels formed dangerous obstacles for starships travelling at high speed and the size of the _Spirit of the Way_ didn't make it any easier. Because the _Spirit of the Way_ didn't possess a standard warp drive and could almost instantly jump though the quantum realm across distances of several light years, they had roughly coordinated their arrival with a fleet of Mantrin warships. They would arrive soon but in the meantime Captain Zassar moved his ship closer to the planet. She had almost trouble believing it but in a few moments she would finally see Cale again. For almost six long months, they had been fighting for the fate of the entire galaxy, each on a different world. But in all that time and with com lines practically severed by the Seraphim, her thoughts had been with him and she knew, she felt, he couldn't stop thinking about her either. She heard someone enter the room. It was Lynn.

"Hey, I expected you to be up here."

Akima slowly took a breath and turned her head toward her friend and fellow Commander.

"Any particular reason why?"

"You miss him, do you?"

She nodded.

"You can't imagine how much."

Lynn's lavender blue eyes found hers and she instantly knew that was not true. There was something about her stare that almost made her feel guilty.

"I was married once," she said, not directly to her. "Aaron was his name. Engineer on our drifter colony; real smart guy too. People like him were important, kept the place up and running which is a twenty-four seven job as you probably know." Akima nodded. She remembered that period of her life all too well. It had shaped her into who she was today. "From the moment I met him, and our eyes made contact I knew he was the right one. You get this feeling; you know that too. From that moment on I did everything to see him, at work, at home. Our marriage was that one moment in my life that made me realize it was still worth living. We were happy together. As long as we had each other it would be all right." She furiously shook her head. "It wasn't meant to be that way. His job was dangerous. If something was about to blow he or one of the other guys had to be there to fix it. It was this filter unit of one of the life support systems. I heard it from the other guys after it happened. One moment he told them it was fine, the other it blew up right in his face, taking the bulkhead with it."

She looked angry now, wishing she could blame someone. It was indeed a terrible story. A story like so many of the people that made it to New Earth had to tell. The blackest day in the history of mankind had just been the beginning of the blackest period for the entire human race. Not just a species without a homeworld but a species trying to survive the cold and ruthless depths of space and its many dangers, including the constant threat of extinction.

"For four and a half years we were married and you know what makes me even more angry? That New Earth was there just a few weeks later." Clenching her teeth, she balled her hands to fists. "If it'd only been a bit sooner."

Akima didn't know what to say. Was Lynn blaming her and Cale for not finding the _Titan_ sooner? She couldn't image Lynn held a grudge against her, not after everything they had been through together.

"I-I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. It's not your fault." She heaved a long sigh and stared into the void of space through the window where the planet of Solbrecht grew larger and larger. One of the last safe places in the quadrant, but for how long? "During those weeks I looked for someone to blame for Aaron's death. For a few days I even blamed myself, for not trying to get him off that dangerous job. Unfortunately, he was one of the few people who knew how to do his job right. He was indispensable."

She sniffled and placed a hand on the cold window.

"Lynn, I…" She flung an arm around her shoulder and even when she pushed her away she kept it there. Then she simply let it go and embraced her firmly. "It's fine," Akima said, shushing.

"You're a good friend," Lynn sobbed.

A few moments later Kendra came into the room, not bothering to apologize for interrupting.

"Prepare to leave the ship. The _Strength of the Coalition_ has arrived. Before we leave a meeting will be held aboard." With Lynn still in her arms, Akima silently signaled her acknowledgment. But Lynn already let go of her, putting her feelings aside to make room for professionalism. Taking a breath, she acknowledged as well. "This meeting will be important not only for starship Captains but for tactical officers and pilots as well. With the latest tactical information available we've been creating a battle plan to penetrate the Seraphim's outer defenses and get to their core. You're expected to attend as well. Dismissed!"

She arrived aboard the gigantic Coalition starship well before the meeting took place, so instead of going to one of the wardrooms early, Akima went for the first of the starboard hangar bays. The _Valkyrie_ was standing on the deck, just as she expected. Speeding up her step to a run, she made it to the ship as the ramp lowered to the deck, feeling her heart beating in her throat. Was it a surprise that the first person coming down the ramp was the guy she married, the teenage boy that captured her heart so shortly after they met? Not really. The moment he saw her he started running as well, and he didn't stop running until they were held tightly in each other's arms. Feeling the tears of happiness stinging in her eyes, she embraced him, kissed him and embraced him more.

"You can't believe how much I've missed you."

"Don't even start."

They stood like that for a good five minutes, not even caring that people looked, even when the whole _Valkyrie_ crew stood around them. It was almost half a year ago when they parted, on this very deck, each taking a different path in this conflict that cost so many lives. And now they were finally reunited, after months of endless fighting for people's lives. When they finally released each other it was time for the questions burning on everyone's minds. Of course they all wanted to know what happened. But it would take a while to tell all that. They didn't have that much time.

"Did you become stronger or something? You're a little…"

"Fat?"

"Muscular."

Akima laughed.

"Gravity on Sogowa is a little higher, remember? You won't notice it that much at first but you sure do at the end of a day of fighting."

Feeling his wife's arms, Cale made a sound of surprise.

"Just a bit longer and you'd be a Mantrin. At least you're getting the muscle mass. If I didn't know better I'd say you've been working out, and pretty hard too."

Everyone laughed. Gune even hugged her for a brief moment. The small alien was always happy to see her just like she was happy to see him.

"Akima looks good. Looks strong too. Gune can see."

"Thanks Gune, I think. But eh, c'mon guys, we gotta go. Kendra's waiting for us… well at least she's waiting for me."

"I want all of you with me," Korso said, following Akima back to the ship's core. "We're not that big a crew so they can spare a little space for us."

When Akima and the rest of the _Valkyrie_ crew arrived in the largest wardroom, it turned out they weren't the first. In fact, it was pretty crowded already and several familiar faces were present, including Stith and Kero. There was still a bit of room next to her, which could either be because of the look on her friend's face or because of her species' well-known temper people rather stayed away from.

"Hey."

"Oh, hey, I already began asking myself about your whereabouts. Nice to see you guys; Korso, Cale."

Korso smiled.

"Good to see you too, Stith, Kero."

"Stith!"

"Gune! There's my little green friend."

She gently caressed the small alien's head.

"Make some room!" The owner of the unfriendly and familiar voice made its way toward them until she stood eye to eye with Stith. Then she smiled, baring her razor-sharp fangs, her deep orange eyes flickering. "Long time no see."

"Hey Ayko. How's life?"

"Going from bad to worse," she grumbled. "If you've been paying attention lately, you know why."

"Would you look at that. You haven't changed a bit."

That everlasting wolfish grin was still plastered on Preed's face after all that time, or maybe he saved it just for her. Stith snorted derisively.

"Thought I smelled a rat."

"Stith, you still don't have a single nice word for me."

She scoffed.

"Give me one good reason why I should."

"I've been changing my life for the better, really."

"True, I can testify," Ayko said, studying the nails of her right hand.

Stith let out a scornful laugh.

"Oh, I commend you. You somehow managed to develop something that resembles a conscience. But keep working on it. Someday you might even convince me you're not the insane person I hold you for."

"That hurts, but don't worry dear Stith. I forgive you."

"Okay, okay, please stop. We're past funny now. It might be better if you just shut up."

"As you wish, my Princess."

Resisting against the urge to follow the violent path, she turned her attention to the speaker, who asked for silence and attention. In contrast to what one would expect, the man was from the Coalition and not the Republic, though officers from the Republic were present as well, including Admiral Langley.

"Thank you. The reason why we're are all gathered here doesn't need any clarification. We've all seen what's happening to this galaxy. We cannot allow this to continue. That is why we're gonna put a stop to them. I give the word to Commander Natal."

Kendra nodded and stepped forward.

"You have all fought long and bravely to defend your worlds against the Seraphim threat. But now it's time to turn the tide and take the fight to our enemy's doorstep. These Seraphim are nothing but a disease brought upon your universe and others. They have spread like a cancer, destroying everything in their path and will continue to do so if we don't stop 'em now." She signaled one of the officers to bring up a holographic view of the tactical situation in and around the Iridana nebula. "Okay, this map is based on our latest intel. It's only a visual representation of what we're up against and this view is already outdated from the moment our spies left the area." Pointing at several places on the view while everyone watched closely, she explained to them the general strategy to deploy as soon as they entered the area. "First we've got the constant patrols around the entire perimeter. Slipping through undetected is impossible so a direct assault from this quadrant might our best chance of success. We've got defensive installations here, here and here and the asteroid field is most likely one big trap. Also, this area is heavily mined so there's no way of getting through there. The mines are cloaked but they've got a very faint quantum signature we've learned to detect during the course of the war."

"What about the inside of the nebula?" someone asked.

"I was getting there. That's the catch. Once we get through their outer defenses, we enter the nebula, find their asteroid base and hit it with everything we've got. But, we've got virtually no intel of what's going on inside that gas cloud. The thing is, it's the only chance we have. We might not get another one. This war is draining resources rapidly and we've gotta strike now before we don't have enough ships left to fight with. Now who's with me?"

"I think we're in way over our heads here," an Akrennian Captain said when the entire room had fallen silent.

Ayko snickered.

"Exactly, and when we kill them our enemy's defeat and humiliation will be beyond question. My father, Admiral Rynta won't give up and neither shall you."

"We're with you!" the voice of a large Mantrin Captain bellowed through the room. "They will pay dearly for what they've done to our world, to all our worlds! It's time to take back what's ours and teach them a lesson they'll never forget! Long live the Empire and the Republic!"

Not long thereafter the entire deck trembled with the cheers of everyone in the room. That didn't last long though, cause it was time to add deeds to those words. When everyone left the room there was something Cale wanted to do first.

"Eh, Stith? Thanks, you know for keeping my wife safe."

Stith gave him a toothy grin.

"Tell you a secret. You don't know how many times she kept me safe more than the other way around." She winked and gave him a rough pat on the shoulder. "See ya in battle."

"Signal the fleet. To all Republic ships, this is Captain Jericho of the _Arcadia_. Confirm coordinates received."

"All ships confirm coordinates received, Captain."

"Thank you, Lieutenant." Jericho took a deep breath, scratching behind his ear. His ship lead a good portion of the Republic fleet including all human ships. They needed several ships and experienced Captains to coordinate an attack force like this and he had been selected as one of them. They had over a hundred warships from both Republic and minor worlds, not counting the arsenals inside the hangar bays of some of the larger carriers like the _Strength of the Coalition_ and the _Arcadia_. The only ships missing were those of the Federation. Last time he heard from a Starfleet Captain he learned that the Alpha Quadrant had fallen victim to an endless series of Seraphim attacks. Even there the situation looked pretty dire. It was just like before only this time they were not defending but attacking. They had to succeed or the entire galaxy and much more would fall under the Seraphim reign of terror. "_Arcadia_ to all ships, proceed to coordinates and standby to receive further instructions upon arrival. Jericho out."

"Do you know why I've asked you here?" She didn't reply. She didn't even look up. Kero sighed. She was just a troubled young girl so confused by everything happening lately that he wasn't sure if she was thinking straight. Of course the death of her father, or at least the man she had known as her father for as long as she remembered had an enormous impact on her life and the way she thought about it right now. No matter what he tried, he couldn't keep her off his ship and though he couldn't prove it, he suspected her from using her powers to manipulate his mind. From what he understood, her brothers and sisters had lost those powers. Now she was the only one left. Her parents were aboard too and even they couldn't do a thing to stop her. "I still don't understand. I'm not gonna let you put your life at risk, though I have the strangest feeling you're not gonna give me any choice. Just by being here on this ship you're putting yourself in danger."

That finally made her look up from her endless stare at the deck plating.

"I want answers," she whispered. "I just wanna know why. I don't care what happens."

"You… You don't know what you're saying."

She didn't make a single bit of sense right now. What did she have to gain by doing this? What was she up to? The thought that all he could do was wait, made him feel anxious. Something was about to happen again and Shezu was in the center of it all, he just knew it.


	45. Chapter 42 The End is Near

**The End is Near**

Staring through the viewport at the endless sea of stars shooting past Cale heaved a sigh, his breath fogging the window. In about an hour they would reach the outskirts of the Iridana nebula, the most dangerous place in the galaxy at this very moment. He was glad his Captain had given him and his wife a few moments in peace. They hadn't seen each other in person for months and he didn't want to look at it the negative way but if their plan didn't work, these could be their last moments together. He would rather not thing about that but there was always the possibility that things didn't turn out as planned, like they did so often lately.

"We never even had time to celebrate our honeymoon. And it's my fault."

Now he considered it the biggest mistake he ever made.

"Cale, stop blaming yourself for everything. I'm finally with you again after six months. Do you honestly believe I care about a honeymoon?"

Turning around to face her, there wasn't the slightest bit of blame in the look she gave him. She was just extremely glad to be with him after all that time. However every day without her was a lost day to him and now he wished he hadn't postponed it. They might never get that chance again.

"But I do. These could be our last moments together."

"Oh no, don't start with that," she said snappishly.

Turning her back on him she sighed, staring at the door, brushing her hair out of her face.

"I'm sorry. Please, don't be mad."

She grabbed his hand when he placed it on her shoulder, which had gotten a lot more muscular since they parted. Turning around she hugged him tight, nuzzling in his neck, giving him soft kisses.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

They were all a little on edge. Lack of sufficient rest was starting to have its effect on the general mood, another thing no one could really get used to during the past few months.

"I don't wanna lose you."

"You won't." She laughed softly. "You don't wanna know how many close calls I had in that ACU cockpit. I could've died numerous times."

Cale let out a laugh too, though it was obviously a made one.

"This is not funny. We've both been very lucky."

"And I hope we haven't run out of it yet because we're sure gonna need some."

"Akima!"

"Sorry." She released him and looked at him determinately. "There's no way around it Cale, we just gotta do it. You heard Kendra. This might be our last and only shot at taking them down. We can't let it slip through our fingers. There's-"

Unexpectedly the ship dropped out of warp with a short bump, the humming sound of the warp engines dying away quickly.

"What's going on?" Cale asked. "We can't be there yet."

"Alert, all crew report to the bridge."

Akima looked at him, a serious expression on her face.

"Better do as he says."

But before he could turn around something outside the ship caught his attention through the window. They were flashes of light; weapons fire perhaps? Did the battle already start here? Had they been intercepted by a Seraphim fleet? But when Cale looked through the viewport, it turned out to be something entirely different. It was a bit of a frightening sight.

"What is that?"

Stith heaved a growling sigh, crossing her arms while she leaned against the edge of her mate's desk. She wanted to talk to him about certain concerning matters for some time and now seemed like a better moment than ever. It was a difficult decision they had to make but an essential one for sure. Here in Kero's private ready room they had a moment alone to discuss things.

"We've gotta make a decision Kero. We can't constantly leave them in the hands of our parents. _We_ are supposed to be their parents, not them."

"So, you wanna leave the Guard?"

She detected a hint of disappointment in his voice but she knew he would do it for her and his children if she really wanted. The thing was, she didn't want him to sacrifice everything he worked so hard to achieve. She looked at him, then turned her eyes down to the deck.

"No, not really but there's something I gotta tell you Kero. Something I've been experiencing for some time now."

She sighed again, putting her hands on the desk beside her.

"Well, what's on your mind?"

"I never thought I'd ever say this, Kero but… I'm getting tired of fighting. I used to love a good fight but right now I'm tired of it. I'm tired of this war. I just… wanna see my children grow up. I wanna be their mother for a change. We've barely spent some real time with them since the moment they were born. And when this is over I plan to set that right. We only get one shot at being good parents. My parents didn't have any choice. We do. We can make this decision and we've gotta make sure it's the right one."

"And we will." Stepping up to her he wrapped his arms around her in a loving and protective way, softly caressing her cheek and ear. "We'll make it through this. We're gonna make the galaxy a safe place again. We can take them aboard. Set up a small educational facility. Maybe there're other parents who'd like to take their children with them too. There's plenty of room."

"I'm not sure. It's still dangerous but… Kero, are we being selfish?"

Her mate was quiet for a moment as he thought it over. They both didn't want to leave the Imperial Guard but if they wanted to be good parents it was perhaps an inevitable sacrifice they had to make.

"No, no, I truly want what's best for them just like you. But it might be better to continue this when we're out of this mess."

"Maybe you're right," she whispered, rubbing her beak to his in a fond way.

He gave her a soft lick on her cheek.

"There's something else though. I'm a little worried about it. Have you noticed Shezu being aboard the ship?"

Stith flattened an ear.

"Yeah, I thought I saw her. Kero, what's she doing here? Why did you let her come with us in the first place?"

Her mate sighed and walked toward the nearest window, staring outside, his tail slowly whipping.

"I… I really didn't want to at first. The moment she first told me, I told her it was far too dangerous for child to be aboard a ship of war at the moment but… when we were ready to go she showed up, with her parents for Kirliya's sake, telling me she wanted to go with us." He turned around, looking her in the eyes. "It was the strangest feeling I ever had. For some reason I couldn't refuse. I wanted to stop her but I think she used her powers to manipulate my mind. I couldn't stop her no matter how hard I tried."

"By Kirliya," Stith said with a snort, scratching behind her left ear. "That girl really is a danger to all of us."

"No, no, at the same time she assured me that she didn't mean us any harm. I had a talk with her just a moment ago. But I'm concerned for her own life. She doesn't care anymore. She wanted answers. Galen's death had a major impact on the way she thought about life. I think and I fear, she's out for revenge once again."

Stith growled softly in annoyance. Now they had yet another thing to worry about. Shezu really was the most troubled person she met in her life. She felt the urge to talk to her but somehow doubted that even she was able to change her mind, or at least make her think rational about what she was doing.

"She needs counseling, really. This can't be right. What about her parents? Don't they have anything to say about it?"

"Do you really think she'd listen to them? To be honest, I think she's not even in control of herself."

Stith shook her head, not in the mood for continuing a pointless debate. If her father had been killed by the Seraphim she would've wanted revenge too. The fact that she was an adult and Shezu merely a child wouldn't make her cause more justified. But this girl wasn't thinking straight and it could end up worse for her than for her victims.

"Yellow alert! Captain to the bridge. All crew report to your stations. This is not a drill. Repeat, all crew report to stations immediately."

Stith and her mate looked at each other for a short second and didn't think twice. Both knowing they couldn't be there yet, but fearing the current situation was worse they made their way back to the adjacent command center.

"All right Rilas, what's going on?"

Standing up from the command chair, his trusted First Officer and friend shot him a look of concern. The ship had dropped out of warp but before he could say something the _Son of the Empire_ trembled violently, as if hit by weapons fire. The sudden shock and explosion that followed were so powerful that it knocked everyone standing off their feet and sent them to the deck, a rain of sparks showering down upon them.

"Hull breach! Deck five!"

"Force fields!"

"In place and holding!"

"Full stop! What the heck is going on? Report! Are you all right, sir?"

Rilas stuck out his hand but Kero and Stith scrambled back to their feet by themselves. The Prince growled, staring at the viewscreen at what was happening outside.

"I'm okay Rilas. Now what in Kirliya's name is goin' on? And what in the universe is that?"

"As you can see for yourself, we may have a slight problem."

It was as if space itself was being torn apart. Here in the middle of nowhere, in the void between solar systems, space around them was lit by bright strobing flashes of light. There were large tears in it and smaller ones surrounded the whole ship. These things looked like the trans-dimensional rifts they knew all too well but in a different, far more violent form. However there were also a few more sinister looking anomalies pulsating between the tears. Kero could only guess the devastating results if a ship travelled through this mess.

"Collision alert! We've got debris incoming!"

"Hard to port!" Rilas yelled. "Brace for impact!"

This time they were prepared but the ship was definitely hit again, this time by a piece of debris colliding with her shields. It struck the dorsal shielding at considerable speed and bounced off the energy barrier, drifting over the Imperial warship into the anomaly field. Signaling Stith to take her station, Kero sat down in the center chair, watching the remains of a ship's hull being torn apart by the severe gravitational disruptions.

"What was that? Where's the fleet?"

"Detecting multiple signatures dropping out of warp, sir," Stith replied. "It's the fleet all right, but sensors identified that piece of hull as the remains of a D'amaran warship. It's one of ours." Biting his teeth, Kero let out a soft frustrated growl. They had been lucky. That ship had obviously made contact with an anomaly just like them, only they hadn't been travelling at warp and Stith confirmed that what he had already figured out. "Our shields can't protect us from that mess. We've gotta find a way through or around it. It's screwing up my targeting scanners too."

"Fleet is reporting in, Captain. Some of them have taken damage."

"All right, I want a full analysis of those anomalies. We gotta gather as much information as we can while we work with the fleet to find a way around them." Navigating through them would be virtually impossible. Not only did they screw up the sensors, making it harder to analyze them, it also made it much harder to map the field to calculate a safe route. Also their small size made it extra difficult to evade them. Some were a few kilometers in length, others were merely a few centimeters in diameter, yet they ignored shields and no matter how small, they could easily tear a piece off the hull. "I don't like the look of this. Stay clear of 'em and regroup. First we got another problem to deal with than this."

Walking down the dimly lit corridor of the Akrennian warship, Preed's thoughts were a mess as chaotic as the situation the entire galaxy was in right now. He was Commander of the Militia and normally he would be on the bridge, at his Captain's side, ready to follow her orders. But this was not Ayko's ship. It was the flagship of her father, Admiral Rynta, a man he still couldn't quite figure out. To himself he had to admit, he had come a long way with nothing and it was only thanks to the love of a girl who couldn't get enough of him. But despite all that he was obviously still a thorn in the Admiral's flesh. He needed to do something about that quickly.

The corridor he absent-mindedly patrolled was empty, in contrast to what it had been a little over a day ago. The _Dinn Eymaru _was one of the most powerful Akrennian warships ever built and normally civilians wouldn't be aboard under any circumstances. Too bad every single craft they had became a refugee ship the moment the Seraphim took Akrennia. But now it was different. The large battleship was sent into battle with the rest of the assault fleet. However he was aboard. He was going to risk his neck again just by being on this ship, and for what? Apparently because he was supposed to follow his Captain wherever she went. Maybe these weird thoughts in combination with the empty corridors were the reasons he didn't see the lonely person, standing in the shadow, obstructing his way until he nearly bumped into him. He didn't even recognize the large Akrennian, because his face was clouded by the shadows, until he firmly grabbed him by his leather uniform and battered him with his back against the wall. Preed was instantly snapped back to the present, too dazzled by the sudden hostile maneuver to move so much as an inch. But his move had forced the large Akrennian male to step out of his hiding place. The malignant stare, perfectly enhanced by the glittering of an evil sharp-toothed smirk were enough to make his heart skip a few beats even if he hadn't been caught in this individual's iron grip. He was the last member of his race he expected to be on this ship at this moment and what made it worse was that he wore the same black leather uniform of the Militia. A thin film of cold sweat began to form on his forehead as he feverishly tried to figure a way out of this most uncomfortable position. But the longer he tried, the more he felt his chances of surviving this encounter becoming smaller. His air supply was slowly being cut off; he could barely speak a word and his nemesis didn't seem to plan on allowing him.

"Would you look at that," he snickered, a sick undertone of joy in his voice. "It's you, the only thing standing in my way of marrying the girl I've always longed for. And look, there's no one here to stop me from doing what I'm about to do." Vainly trying to remove Khiosa's hand from his throat, gargling noises leaving his beak, he felt his strength slipping away by the second. Maybe he was right. Maybe he wasn't worthy enough of having Ayko as his mate. He couldn't even do a thing to defend himself. It was over before it even began. But before he could sink into a void of unconsciousness, Khiosa tossed him on the deck, viciously ramming his right boot into his stomach. The pain was acute, the stars dancing before his eyes, blurring his vision. He retched, feeling vomit searing in his sore throat. He almost panicked as he had trouble getting his vision back but Khiosa merely watched from a small distance, adding a malicious and humiliating laugh which hurt just as much. _He's gonna kill me if I don't do something quick. _Panting heavily, biting his teeth he pushed himself back up again, clamping his stomach, spitting on the deck. It only seemed to anger Khiosa more, a low growl escaping his mouth. "Weakling. You're a disgrace to this uniform."

"Then what makes you wear one?"

Khiosa snickered. If he wanted him dead right away he would've killed him by now. Preed knew he stalled on purpose, only to prolong his suffering. He could feel his hand instinctively touching the sheath of his blade. If Khiosa saw it -and undoubtedly he did- he sure didn't feel threatened at all.

"Guess there's no point in not telling ya. Last time we met I forgot to mention that the father of your girlfriend happens to like me, a lot. So when I told him I wanted to fight for the only thing we have left, our honor and our families, he accepted me into this crew." He snorted and crossed his muscular arms. "At least he sees me for what I really am. What I fail to understand is his daughter's interest in you. What in the universe do you have that I don't?"

Despite the pain in his stomach, Preed still managed to make that cheeky wolfish grin appear on his face. Trying to quit showing pain and weakness he straightened his back, made himself look tall, which he managed to do fairly well and locked into a stare with his opponent. A duel with blades, right here and right now was inevitable. He could as well face it like a man and the mate Ayko desired and deserved to have. This was the moment she spoke off. There was no way out and only one way through. However Khiosa's swift move had sure left him with a painful disadvantage. He needed a little more time to recover or the outcome of the match was already decided.

"The Admiral might like you more than me, but may I remind you that my rank's higher than yours."

Khiosa laughed.

"Not on my record. No, I'm finally going to unmask you as the pathetic loser you really are." His hand went down quickly and when it came back up he saw the sinister shine of a blade glittering in the dark. "It's time to resolve our little dispute." _Too soon_. He was weakened but he had no choice. If he ran he would admit to Khiosa that he was indeed a coward and then Ayko would probably kill him herself for humiliating her again. _No choice. Gotta act fast. _Drawing his own weapon, his trusted blade with the unique design, he growled threateningly, not showing weakness or fear. The corridor wasn't very narrow but didn't offer much room to maneuver. The playing field was entirely different from last time. "Yes. Can you feel it?" Khiosa spat venomously. That's your death coming toward you at a rapid pace."

But the only thing he could feel was the adrenaline rushing through his veins. His heart beating against the inside of his chest. He was trying to determine where Khiosa would try to attack first. Khiosa moved toward him and he moved back toward the nearest junction, very slowly as they tried to turn around each other which was hard in these close quarters. "C'mon you coward!" Khiosa shouted. He was trying to provoke him into making the first move but Preed didn't let him succeed. He also noticed that Khiosa deliberately left his right side open to attack, which was a trap of course. If he wanted to win this fight he had to be smarter than his opponent. Eventually Khiosa's anger got the better of him, as expected. He burst into a first series of fast sharp lashes, the clattering of metal on metal echoing through the empty corridors again and again. Preed skillfully blocked his attacks, his training with Ayko really paying off at this moment. It had increased his strength and endurance and dueling an opponent with her skills had done a lot to improve his as well. Concentrating on the battle he watched patiently for a mistake, his chance to attack and perhaps tip the outcome of the fight into his favor. And when the moment came he went for it! Diving under Khiosa's lashing blade he went for his left side but too late he realized it had been a trap all along. He missed the knife by what could be a few millimeters at best but failed to evade the knee heading for his stomach again. The pain was intense and nearly caused him to drop his weapon but before that could happen, he bit through the pain in that tiny moment and brought his weapon down across Khiosa's right thigh. He could feel the blade sinking into the soft flesh, scraping across something that could be bone. Khiosa's scream echoed through the corridor, fine droplets of blood spraying the right side of Preed's face when his left shoulder hit the bulkhead. Khiosa growled aggressively as he limped away from him to the other bulkhead, keeping his hand which was covered in blood pressed against his thigh in a futile attempt to stop the bleeding. Using the bulkhead as a support to stay on his feet, Preed stared pantingly at the result of his action. Khiosa stared back at him, panting as well, the hatred burning in his eyes.

"You…_ filth!_ I'll kill you! If it's the last thing I'll ever do I'll rip you to pieces!"

From the start of this fight Preed knew it could only end one way. One had to kill the other, or die trying. There was simply no other way. Forgetting about his injured leg, Khiosa leapt toward him, knife clamped in his fist, ready to strike down upon him with unrelenting fury. But Preed was already gone and the blade hit nothing but empty air and the metal of the bulkhead instead. Khiosa was weakened by the injury and the loss of blood which was a serious disadvantage. He could kill him right away but somehow resisted against the idea. Panting, he stepped away from his opponent, lowering the hand with the bloodied blade.

"Why can't you just accept that you've lost?"

"You haven't beaten me yet!" Khiosa shouted, using the bulkhead as support to get to Preed slowly.

"No, but I'm afraid it won't take long. Maybe you're just afraid to admit you've lost to a person as 'pathetic' as I am. Or maybe I'm not such a loser after all."

"You'd wish!"

He collapsed to the deck on his knees, still holding on to his weapon, determined to kill his enemy no matter the cost. But he was still losing blood, which made him dizzy and disoriented and drained him of his strength. Feeling tired himself, Preed let himself fall with his back against the cold metal of the bulkhead. This whole mess wasn't over yet, but it was one step in the right direction. It was only then that he noticed that the blood on his right arm wasn't just Khiosa's. It was definitely a cut from a blade. It bled but not much. He hadn't even felt the pain after the blow to his stomach which seemed to be a preferred spot. It was time to get out of here, have a doctor take a look at that wound and see if he could make himself useful somewhere.

"I'm outta here."

He snorted contemptibly, turning his back on Khiosa who growled in anger and frustration.

"Finish it! Or don't you have the guts to do it yourself, you coward!" But Preed merely smirked and slowly walked away. There was one thing he hadn't accounted for though. With his last bit of strength, Khiosa brought up his weapon, aiming for the target that moved away from him. An insane grin crept along his face. "Damn you." He cursed. The knife left his hand, sailed through the air spinning until it found what it and its owner were looking for. Preed screamed when a burning white-hot lance of pain shot through his entire back when something long and sharp buried itself into his flesh. Falling forward on the deck, he was able to break his fall with his arms but the danger crept up behind him. Khiosa wasn't planning on letting him go and underestimating his desire to kill him was an obvious mistake. "Now, I've got you!" he spat, grabbing hold of Preed's leg.

Trying not to panic, as it could do very little but worsen his injury, Preed kicked Khiosa in the face while trying to grab the blade stuck in his back. The pain took away his breath as he twisted in an attempt to get it out. Cold sweat dripped from his face while warm blood soaked the leather of his uniform. Khiosa growled and cursed, trying to bend his legs away to get to the weapon stuck in his opponent's back. When he finally grabbed hold of it and pulled it out, Preed screamed again, blood gulfing out of the wound. Khiosa laughed maniacally, but before he could bring the sharp metal down to finish him off, Preed, fueled by adrenaline viciously kicked his head to the left, causing him to lose the blade in the process. When he rolled on his back, Preed didn't know what took his breath away faster, the fiery pain, or the sound of an explosion nearby and the sudden decompression that tried to suck their bodies into space. Pure Akrennian survival instinct had already kicked in at this stage. He only felt like getting as far away from Khiosa and the dangers of a tear in the outer hull of the ship and to safety. Freed from the other Akrennian's grasp, he crawled on arms and legs away from the direction the atmosphere was flowing to, or at least he tried. He barely had grip on the slippery metal, covered with blood from both of them and the rushing wind dragged him back toward the breach which wasn't far away. A warning light flashed. A blast door came down behind him. _I gotta keep going. _If he slipped under it before it closed he would be sucked into space, a fate that was almost Khiosa's. The larger Akrennian slipped away further, trying to get hold of anything within grasp but couldn't find it.

"Help me."

His lips merely formed the word, the sound taken away by the roar of the escaping air that dragged him under the blast door. He couldn't even think about helping him. Instinct had washed away all rational thought, made survival the prime objective and in his weakened state, getting to safety was tough enough without having to worry about anyone other than himself. Khiosa screamed for one last time, a horrible gargling scream that was almost lost in the noise created by the wind but the sound made Preed snap out of his instinctive trance and look back. Panic and pure fear on the face of his rival was the last thing he saw when the blast door closed shut, mere inches from his feet. They would've been crushed underneath had he hesitated for a few seconds. Khiosa was gone. No one could survive behind that door and he was lucky to be on the safe side. He was weak. He lost a lot of blood and the pain and oxygen deprivation drained every bit of strength from his muscles and made him forget about the difference between up and down. _Ayko. _Again, her face was the last thing that crossed his mind. He heard voices coming closer. Maybe he would make it out of this mess again. He always did. And she was always there waiting for him.

While the fleet regrouped and waited until everyone was ready to go, the ships' Captains were discussing ways how to proceed. Korso talked to Captain Jericho and the other Republic Captain's while his crew made the necessary preparations. The _Valkyrie_ class starships were among the smallest in the fleet and the plan was for them to lead the rest through.

"This soup here seems to be an unusually large concentration but as we've noticed they aren't the only ones. There could be more of them on the road ahead so we want you to scout and lead us through."

"Understood, sir. Eh sir? Are the Seraphim behind this?"

Jericho scoffed.

"I'd love to discuss the report with you Captain but I think we both know we don't have time for that. No, as you know the science department has done the research and they don't believe it's artificial. If the Seraphim were behind this they would know by now. But for now we should concentrate on the task at hand. Keep us safe, we're counting on you."

Though it took longer than expected to safely proceed to the Seraphim stronghold in and around the Iridana nebula, the _Valkyrie_ and its accompanying scouts dropped to sublight speed at a presumed safe distance from the stellar cloud. Fortunately they hadn't run into more trouble during the last part of their trip but trouble had only just begun. Sensors went wild and alerted the crew for the numerous contacts patrolling the outskirts of the nebula.

"Cale, cut all power to non-essential systems. Keep it down. We don't wanna give away our element of surprise. Derek, keep the weapons cold for now. Yani, no active sweeps. They might give away our position."

"Aye sir."

"This is it guys." Korso stood up, turning toward his crew, his eyes shifting to each one of them individually. They were his responsibility. As Captain he had to keep them safe, which would be the toughest exercise ever at this moment. The war had cost so many people their lives already and it was a miracle he still had the same faces here on his bridge. "The first attack will come from our side. We're gonna punch a hole in their defenses first, get into the nebula and find their ops base."

"The moment we get in there they'll wipe the floor with us," Cale murmured.

"I don't wanna hear that, Lieutenant," Korso said harshly. "We'll crush them before they even get the chance to think about pulling a trigger."

"But how do we know they don't have an entire fleet in there waiting for us?"

"We don't." He sighed. "But you heard Commander Natal. We might not get another chance like this so we're gonna do it anyway. Now get ready! Things will get a little rough from this point."

They were all looking at him, waiting for a signal of some kind, or a speech. His trusted bridge crew, the officers he depended on for quite some time now. They had fought countless battles together in the past few months and in each one they could've died honorably. But each time they had made it through. Kirliya obviously didn't think it was their time yet, except for a few perhaps. Now was the time to prove themselves once more in the face of the First Warrior and only she would decide if it was their last time.

"I know you're all expecting me to say something before we throw ourselves into battle again," Kero began, his voice a powerful hum that gave his crew even more strength and confidence than they already had. "I don't know what to say. We've fought countless times already. We've made it this far and I believe there's a reason for that. Our determination, coming from the love for those people we hold dear. The strength, we gather from the anger, the fear and the grief we've all felt during the course of this conflict. And the confidence, in ourselves and in each other that we can do this and make our galaxy a safe place again. Now let us fight once more, to restore peace, to make a dream come true and to stop this madness that's been haunting us for far too long already. For the Empire and the Republic!" A mighty war cry left his beak, a sound with enough strength to make the deck vibrate when his crew repeated his yell. It was a reflection of everything he just mentioned. His eyes made contact with those of Naea, the Fjetahna Mantrinesse behind the helm. "Push her forward Naea. Let's give 'em hell!"

"Aye Captain."

"You ready Stith?" Stith's laugh had something malevolent when she replied. "No sweat. If it's hell you wanna give 'em, you're right by talking to me, sir."

"And what about you, Rilas?"

The Sogowan Mantrin smiled.

"Wherever you go, I'll follow you, sir. Even if it's hell you wanna go to."

Kero could feel the edges of his beak curving into a smile. It was payback time and not a single sorry excuse was gonna get them out of this. Nothing could make up for what they did and no one expected them to try. Together, the worlds of the Republic were stronger than any force in the universe and not even the Seraphim could stop them.


	46. Chapter 43 The Fall Part 1

**The Fall - Part 1**

The Republic assault fleet was strong, but was it strong enough? Tightly packed together, with all ships diverting power to their outer shields they moved in.

"Sir! Enemy ships have detected us. Multiple vessels, closing fast."

"Order all ships to stay in formation!" Jericho knew all too well that if they wandered off from the rest of the fleet, they would be easily picked off. There was no time and no reason to combat their forces out here. Everything around here was controlled from inside the nebula. "Jericho to all ships, begin firing as soon as they're within range. Don't let 'em get too close."

They were coming at them from multiple sides. Nearly every type of ship in the Seraphim fleet was present, their weapons locked and loaded and ready to tear them to shreds. But the Republic fleet didn't sit still in the meantime. They moved toward the nebula at maximum speed, locking all broadside weapons on the approaching ships and their forward arrays on the area in front of them to breach their defensive line.

"The fleet's firing, Captain."

"Well now's no time to think about sparing ammo, Lieutenant. Give it to them!" Next to an impressive hangar filled with _Dominator_ attack craft, the _Arcadia_ featured an equally impressive array of weapons, covering almost every angle. Since it was a large ship with powerful shielding, she flew on the edge of the formation, providing cover for the smaller and weaker ships. It didn't take long before space between the Republic fleet and their targets was filled with beams, bolts, torpedoes and missiles but that didn't seem to stop the Seraphim from throwing their ships at them. "That's right, keep 'em at a distance."

The _Arcadia_ trembled slightly as a trio of missiles and a barrage of cannon fire impacted on her dorsal shielding.

"Shields at ninety-three percent and holding."

"Sir, we've got-" The next major hit was on her front shields and was much more severe. The lights flickered and some of the crew had trouble staying on their feet. "They've got a couple of defensive installations out there! They're firing on us!"

"Jericho to fleet, redirect your fire at those platforms or they'll pick us off one by one!"

Meanwhile aboard the _Valkyrie_ Korso had seen the danger coming in time. The platforms were large, loaded with devastating long range weaponry and their shots hammered on the forward shields of most ships, creating bright flashes of light. They had to do something quick or they wouldn't be able to stand up these things for long.

"Gune, what's with these things?"

"Gune is on it Captain, but sensors are having trouble. Looks like shields at the back are much weaker. Maybe Captain can devise a plan to take them out from behind their backs."

Maybe that wasn't such a bad idea but the only catch was getting behind them. But as soon as one ship moved away from the group, it would be an easy target.

"Maybe we can concentrate our fire on a single platform," Derek suggested, holding his fire for now.

"It's an idea, Captain," Brian supported him. Individually our weapons might be too weak to break through their shields but together we're much stronger.

"Do it! Contact the other ships."

"There's no escaping the wrath of the Empire," Stith said malevolently as she kept the _Son of the Empire_'s weapons blasting in all directions.

Her Captain didn't seem to mind, and so didn't the rest of the crew. They all wanted revenge for what they did to Sogowa Prime. All those people, their cities and their homes destroyed. She just kept every weapon at her disposal firing, until they received the order to redirect their fire at a given set of coordinates.

"Do it, Stith."

"Aye sir."

The platform closest to them was the target and its shields were strong but nothing could withstand the pounding the fleet was giving them. Under this kind of punishment they started to buckle and when they eventually breached the platform was literally bombarded with laser, missile and torpedo volleys. After the shields were gone the whole installation vanished in the storm of light.

"New coordinates. Redirect you fire."

"Redirecting."

The ship trembled under the weapons fire hitting her forward and lateral shielding. The fleet moved at full speed, yet these moments always seemed to take longer. They had to get past their defensive line.

* * *

"Fleet reports their shields are weakening, Captain. Ours won't hold for long either."

"There is no turning back Lieutenant, so we just keep going!"

The ship shook violently when a piece of debris collided with her forward shields. Enemy ships were closing in and now they were coming straight at them from the direction they were heading to as well. Since there were no pilots, their kamikaze runs were most effective and drained their shields even faster.

"Battlecruiser approaching!"

"Jericho to all ships, redirect you fire at that cruiser!" The large Seraphim vessel with the shiny armored hull had appeared from behind one of the asteroids forming part of the enemy defensive line and moved directly into their path. Whoever was controlling that thing, they didn't seem to care that it was about to be destroyed. Jericho watched with his teeth clenched together as its shields were being hammered on by their weapons, praying it would be destroyed in time. There was no sudden stopping their fleet now. They couldn't just scatter. Just a few thousand kilometers left. The shields breached. A barrage of missiles from a Coalition starship nailed the hull. The ship exploded with a bright flash, scattering debris in all directions. The larger pieces were being targeted first. They were too close. The fleet moved through the debris. The _Arcadia _trembled heavily as the pieces bounced between her shields and others. A nearby explosion shook the ship violently and nearly threw her off course. "What was that?"

"It's the RSS _Griffin_, sir. She's gone. Piece of debris punched through her shields."

Cursing in frustration, Jericho watched as the fleet tore through the defensive platforms one by one. They were almost there and yet they still had a long way to go.

It was unbelievable how many times this had happened. It was starting to become a ritual. Preed couldn't quite understand but obviously someone wanted him to stay alive so badly that he escaped the claws of the abyss once more. How many times had he woken up like this? Crippled, bruised, beaten, stabbed or abused in any other way. He had lost count long ago but this time was different. This time he didn't have to wake up to more bad than good. Or did he? Something vibrated, or shook underneath him. He wasn't lying on anything particularly stable. It couldn't be the deck though, it was much too warm and soft for that but something didn't feel right. He slowly opened an eye and was glad it didn't sting. Maybe his body wasn't in such a bad state after all but he had seen enough all right. Sickbay. _Where else? _And then everything started to come back again, slowly but steadily. Khiosa, the corridor and the hull breach that nearly sucked them both into space. He had a nasty headache and even his lost ear hurt. His brain obviously received a good blow too because he felt nauseous and dizzy. But at least he was safe for now. When he finally felt up to fully opening his eyes he was greeted by the sterile environment. His increased heartbeat en respiration had obviously alerted the doctors because one came over to check up on him not long after that.

"He's awake." Squeezing his eyes shut against the pain in his ears caused by the guy's ridiculously loud voice -or maybe it was simply the aftereffect of explosive decompression- he groaned softly. "You're one lucky guy or so I've heard."

Wondering how in the universe's name he could know that, his question was answered by the sudden appearance of his commanding officer and girlfriend. Fearing she would be disappointed he tried to turn his face the other way. But instead of making his suffering worse by yelling she smiled and sat down on the bed, caressing the left side of his face. Her touch was pleasant, warming, and almost motherly.

"Looks like you made it again."

"Could you… please talk a little softer?" Preed groaned.

Lowering her voice to the volume of a whisper, she nuzzled his cheek.

"I'm proud of you."

Preed didn't know what to say so he kept this mouth shut for now. It was hard to figure out what she was thinking right now. Technically he didn't kill Khiosa. Merely injured him enough perhaps to render him unable to save himself but the cold vacuum was the real murderer in this case. Maybe it was best to keep that little detail to himself. They wouldn't be able to figure out what really happened anyway. The ship shook violently for a few seconds, the sickbay lights flickering during that moment. Everyone walking grabbed hold of something and he could hear the equipment standing next to his bed rattling.

"What was that?" he asked carefully.

Ayko snorted.

"You weren't out for that long. You don't wanna know what those shields are trying to keep out. We're in battle." The ship was still shaking, though not as violently as in that one moment. Clearly those shields were indeed receiving a bad pounding. Now he didn't feel so safe and secure anymore. "Stay alive. My father needs me on the bridge."

He didn't really want her to go, but there was no way he could stop her. In his state he couldn't be of much help either.

"Please dear, don't go," he tried.

But the sour look on her face made him cease his attempts to keep her here. He was rather tired. Maybe getting some more sleep wasn't such a bad idea. The thought that she would be waiting for him again when he opened his eyes was slightly calming. He had already fought his battle, now it was her turn to fight hers.

* * *

"C'mon, keep it together." Jericho watched intently as they flew past the floating hulks which had been heavily armed weapons platforms just a moment ago, expecting an armada of enemy warships to blast out of the nebula and shoot them to bits at any moment. It was a major risk, one they would have to take as no one had a clue about what was going on in there. Once more the lights flickered, an exploding conduit sending sparks over the deck. "We're almost there!"

"I hope so sir, cause our shields won't be there much longer to protect us and the other ships."

"Captain, one of the Akrennian warships is losing speed. She's falling out of formation."

"On screen!"

The moment the ship appeared on screen, it instantly flashed through his mind that she and her crew were lost. Apparently the attacking enemy vessels had managed to punch a hole in their aft shields and targeted the engines. They fell prey to them like a deer to pack of hungry wolves. Shielding his eyes against the reactor explosion he quickly watched the whole scene disappear in a dense purple-bluish fog. As the main viewer switched back to forward view, the fleet had entered the nebula and so far they did well. They had lost four ships to enemy fire and the remainder of the fleet headed deeper into the nebula at the same speed until they were certain they weren't followed and that was a bit odd. Eventually it became obvious that they had broken off their attack. As the fleet slowed down, assessed the damage taken and remained on the lookout, the fleet commanders discussed how to proceed. They had one major problem. They still had to find the enemy base somewhere in the immense depths of the nebula. However active scans were required and those could give away their location to any enemy patrols in the neighborhood.

"So have you thought about what we're gonna do next?"

The alien Captain's question was on anyone's mind right, including Korso's as watched the conversation between the commanders and the rest of the fleet. They had made it into the lion's den and now they just had to find the lion.

"I want all ships carrying probes aboard to prepare them. We'll find them, the hard way if we have to. We just need to scan for their signatures and a base like that will sure have a major power source."

"But it'll sure attract their attention," Kero grumbled.

"Well, nothing your ship can't handle eh?"

"They won't get past us!" another Mantrin Captain growled aggressively. "They'll be swallowing a lot of missiles if they try."

"Now wait a minute. We don't want to get into unnecessary fights. Their base alone will be heavily defended too. I think that's enough."

"Enough indeed," Commander Kendra Natal interfered before the discussion could develop into an argument. "We've gotta make a decision now or they'll find us without our help if we just sit here. Now there's one thing we could try. Even Seraphim ships are not perfect. Even they leave ion trails though they're hard to detect and not all sensor arrays are sophisticated enough to pick up those faint quantum signatures. We'll provide you with a way to recalibrate your sensors. That will determine which of you have the sensor capability and which not."

"All right Captains, start making those modifications," Jericho ordered. "Those of you who can't will hook up to another ship that can and tap into their array. That should work. You have fifteen minutes. Jericho out."

"All right guys, you've heard the man. Cale, I want you to start working with Yani and Gune to make those modifications. I don't think the old girl's sensors have the acuity required but tie her up to the _Arcadia_'s sensors if you have to. Akima, engines. Keep an eye on them. Don't want those intake valves clogged up or we'll be drifting around here for a while. Derek, you might wanna recalibrate your targeting scanners. This particle flux around here's messing with the sensors too. Brian, assist him. You're good with that stuff. We've got fifteen minutes. Let's double time it!"

* * *

"What? You're telling me they're inside the nebula, on our doorstep? How did this happen?" Though Asath-Yvanu was the calmest of the three brothers, recent developments had caused him to completely lose his temper. He had just received word that an enemy fleet had managed to break through his presumably impenetrable defenses and was on its way with only one goal he could think off. This was the second disappointment in two days time. First it was the strange appearance of a mysterious being on that planet they had almost conquered. It was impossible. He had heard the voices of his officers. Something about _The Way_ in its purest form. _What nonsense._ It was preposterous. The thought alone that an alien being could be closer to the foundation of his race than himself. _Ridiculous._ First that and now this. An enemy fleet that dared and managed to venture this deep into their space. "Explain, Otho-Ivotha! Who's responsible for this failure?" The Seraphim with the sand-colored skin angrily grumbled something under his breath. The defense fleet was under the control of one of his warriors. It was unforgivable and had to be punished. But just as he was about to call for the one responsible, the warrior in question entered the war room, fell on his knees but didn't beg for forgiveness. It would be a sign of weakness but Asath-Yvanu was relentless, his orange eyes flashing with anger. "Speak! Explain your incompetence!"

"Forgive me my Master. They came out of nowhere. I couldn't stop them. They were too strong."

"What was that again? Out of nowhere? How could they have come out of nowhere? The perimeter is secure right?"

"Yes, Master."

"So the only way they could've gotten through is because you failed." His subordinate opened his mouth to speak but couldn't get a single sound over his lips. A thin layer of moist appeared on the skin of his face, reflecting the fear he felt but couldn't express. "Am I correct?"

"Y-Yes, Master. Forgive me my incompetence."

But Asath-Yvanu's eyes were cold, merciless, evil. He signaled two more warriors that flanked the one on his knees.

"I have no further use for you. Execute him." The Seraphim who had just been sentenced to death didn't produce a sound. Not even when the other two grabbed him under his arms and roughly removed him from the room. Asath-Yvanu growled angrily, taking a deep breath to force himself to calm down. The last thing he needed was a complete loss of control of his temper at a moment like this. "Get me a view. Where are they now?"

Otho-Ivotha tapped a few buttons, bringing up a map of the nebula divided into sectors which displayed real-time data about their ship movements and installations.

"Current estimates indicate that their fleet is holding position somewhere in sector five three seven. I don't think we want them to get any closer to our position."

"Do we?"

"Shall I sent a fleet to intercept them, Asath-Yvanu?"

"No," he replied after a slight moment of thinking it over. "Maybe drawing them here is exactly what we want. We'll set something up. They won't expect it."

The corners of his mouth curled upwards into a grin. It was time to crush this futile resistance and show this galaxy once and for all the superiority of the new Seraphim Order.

* * *

"Sensors are picking up an enemy patrol, bearing 257 mark 018."

"Keep you power emissions low everyone. We need to follow their ion trail. It might lead us to their base."

Aboard the _Valkyrie_, everyone watched quietly on a dimly lit bridge, waiting for them to pass. It was one of those moments that everyone's breath caught. If they detected them, some ships wouldn't even be able to get their shields back up fast enough to block their attack. But the Seraphim warships passed at a safe distance from them, without giving off any hints that they had picked up their power signatures.

"Do you really think that following their ion trail backwards will lead us to their base?" Cale whispered. "They must be pretty stupid to leave breadcrumbs like that."

"But they might not know that we're here in front of their very noses," Brian whispered back.

"Sir, the _Arcadia_ reports that they have picked up the trail and are moving to follow it back."

"All right. Akima, you know what to do. Just follow them in. Keep an eye out for enemy patrols. Let's find those maniacs."

During their hunt, the fleet frequently had to stop and power down most systems as the number of patrols increased. They had divided themselves in a few different groups, each one led by a ship that could detect the quantum signatures of the wakes. That way they were harder to detect too. Korso felt that they would be detected any moment now but they were definitely heading in the right direction.

"They will be on top of us any moment now. Stay ready everyone."

They were deep inside the nebula, cut off from all outside help. If they failed, no one would know what happened.

"I'm picking up another patrol. They're too close! We won't be able to evade this one."

The crew nearly bit their nails off as a group of three warships flanked by a squadron of smaller fighters, passed them at only a few hundred kilometers distance. Sensor range and so their field of vision was limited in this fog. They all expected them to break off their patrol and intercept with guns blazing at any moment but fortunately and strangely nothing happened.

"They must have seen us," Cale whispered. "There's no way they couldn't have seen us. I didn't even have time to fully power down the engines. There must have been some spike on their sensors."

"Maybe they were looking the other way," Yani said in an attempt to lighten up the mood.

"If there were actual people on those ships I would've believed you. But those things are fully automated. They don't make mistakes."

"You think we're being deceived, Cale?" his Captain asked.

"Could be," Brian replied. "But why?"

"Captain, I'm picking up an energy signature."

"Cale, get ready. Is it the base?"

"No, it's moving toward us. Fast!"

"Shields!"

The crew grabbed hold of anything they could get their hands on when the missiles impacted on the dorsal shielding. Through the main window Korso watched as a massive Seraphim battleship dropped right on top of them, firing it's ventral weapons array into their battle group's shields. It was not alone however. A large group of fighters moved in under a sharp angle, firing as they went in for the kill. The _Valkyrie_ shook violently, unable to withstand an attack of this magnitude.

"Sir, the _Arcadia_ is sending out a coded distress call to the other groups. They're returning fire and moving off."

"Follow them. Cale divert more power to shields and Derek keep those weapons firing."

Pursued by the enemy they kept moving into the direction the ion trail came from. As the separate groups combined to one fleet, the enemy warship that attacked the _Arcadia_'s group received reinforcements.

"We're losing our aft shields!"

"Divert more power to them," Jericho ordered. "Prepare to launch _Dominators_!"

A couple of squadrons left the Republic command ship's hangars, blending in with the rest of the chaos. Space between the ships was filled with explosions and weapons fire. Shields lit up when missiles and torpedoes exploded against their surfaces, fighters battled it out in a wild dance for domination, trying to get behind each other for a clear shot and even larger ships tried to evade each other's shots while keeping their weapons firing on the target.

"This is General Lance to all Captains. We've just picked up an unusual power signature. This could be what we're looking for. Stay alive and follow us in."

The colossal _Strength of the Coalition_ was heavily armed and had launched her fighters -basically modified versions of the units they used on the planet surface- to counter the large amounts of enemy fighters which were tough to hit with her own batteries. Her Coalition sister ship the _Spirit of the Way_, used the same tactic and their combined fleets did an excellent job at protecting the Republic ships as well. Smaller and more maneuverable ships were above all this, including the _Valkyrie_. Her pilot skillfully maneuvered her through the ships of the battling sides, evading laser blasts, trying to shake the missiles that were tailing her while her gunner fired on anything hostile that happened to get in his crosshairs. It was hard for them to work together yet they had to try the best they could.

"Adjust course Akima, you heard the order."

"I'm on it Captain, but it's damn hard to shake these things!" Forcing the ship into a steep dive she headed straight for one of the larger Seraphim warships. It looked as if it was trying to stop the fleet from moving toward the Seraphim base but that was not going to happen if she could help it. With a duo of missiles trailing the _Valkyrie_'s exhausts and enemy fighters gunning for her she pushed the engines to their limit. "C'mon, c'mon, you can do it!"

She missed the port hull by just a few meters at most; the missiles however couldn't evade the piece of armor and blew off the port side of the battleship. With her already weakened shields failing, she quickly fell prey to Republic attacks. The crew could feel the explosion in their stomachs as the reactor breached and tore it apart. Akima steered the ship close over the Coalition command ship's hull and it was just then that they breached some sort of dense gas layer, a slight tremble going through the ship as they entered what appeared to be a vacuum inside the nebula. A large pocket of emptiness inside the giant gas cloud. And inside this huge empty space floated a giant structure. It was a large artificial complex, partially embedded inside a couple of large asteroids. The crew actually forgot to breathe as it suddenly loomed up in front of the ship. Though they were still at a safe distance it was huge already and behind the gas barrier on the other side of complex, there was the certain flickering of a familiar light. That was where they came from. A trans-dimensional rift, inside the Iridana nebula leading to their universe, their realm. The Republic fleet moved through the barrier, pursued by their attackers. They were simply moving the battle to a new position, a new playing field. It would continue right here.

"That must be it," Commander Natal said over the com. "That's their command base."

It was enormous but one thing was strange.

"Where are their ships?" Korso said out loud.

Did the Seraphim trust in their defensive line that much that they didn't have any defenses in here? It couldn't be. There were patrols all around this bubble but inside there was nothing? He figured they would've pulled back their forces by now, contracted them around the complex as a final line of defense. But in the meantime the battle continued and he was almost knocked out of his chair when something powerful collided with the lateral shields.

"Looks like they're still in for it, sir," Brian needlessly remarked.

"Evasive maneuvers!"

"Captain!" Yani yelled over the noise with a hint of panic in her voice. "I'm detecting a massive quantum singularity off the starboard bow. It's gonna hit us!"

"Hit the deck! Brace for impact!"

The massive shockwave tossed the ship of course and it cost Akima the greatest effort to stabilize her and prevent them from being smashed against the hull of one of the Mantrin warships. She couldn't save the port aft wingtips however. They broke off as they scraped across the warship's armored hull. Several more ships were affected by the blasts. Larger ships were thrown off course while smaller ones were simply tossed against each other or collided with larger ships, causing a lot of damage.

"Hull integrity at eighty-four percent! What in the universe was that?"

"I don't know but it had an explosive yield of over five-hundred isotons. I don't think we wanna run into that."

"This is Commander Natal to all ships! That was a quantum singularity mine! Looks like a stray fighter set one off. Do not proceed on your own. There could be a whole field of them surrounding that facility."

"But we gotta get rid of them if we wanna get close enough for an effective attack!" Captain Jericho remarked. "Another detonation! Those stray shots are setting them off!"

Aboard the _Son of the Empire_ Kero and his crew braced themselves for another shockwave. As the fleet scattered, to prevent ships from crashing into each other, the enemy didn't seem bothered by it and there was no reason why they should. There was no crew that could be injured or killed. As the tidal wave of energy hit the ship, the bridge crew kept hold of their consoles. Sparks rained down on the deck, the lights flickered and the hull protested with a heavy creaking sound as the powerful force hammered on the armor. Grinding her teeth, Stith kept a watchful eye on the readings on her console.

"We're losing structural integrity! We'll break apart if those waves keep hitting us like that!"

The last part of her sentence was lost when something nearby exploded. In the extra chaos created by the mine detonations, one could easily forgot that the battle was still going on as well.

"We've gotta find a way to get closer!" her Captain growled. It was tough enough already and they hadn't even fired a single shot at the real source of all the problems yet. But there was a way to change that. The mines were cloaked but if they could be detonated by stray shots, it could be by an idea to try and clear a path to their real target. "You're brilliant Rilas, did you know that?" Kero said to his smirking First Officer after he explained his plan to him. "But we've gotta back off first."

"Captain, the _Shenzehwi_'s losing her shields fast!"

As his Lieutenant brought the Imperial warship into view Kero felt his anger grow. The enemy was losing ships but the Republic wasn't without losses either. They had to act fast now.

"This is Captain Kero of the _Son of the Empire_. We're gonna have to clear a way through those mines. Everyone get back and stay out of their detonation range. Brace yourselves and signal when ready."

"Copy that, Captain Kero. All ships report."

"We're losing our shields!"

"Hull breach, decks seven through ten! We're venting atmosphere!"

"Enemy warship closing in on the starboard bow! They're firing!"

"Cut that out!"

"Aye sir."

The general com channel was flooded with cries for help. Kero knew there was little they could do. They were constantly bracing themselves for impacts while fighting off the attackers and waiting for each ship to give the rest of the fleet the green light.

"What's taking them so long? Some are still within the danger zone!"

"Some ships are reporting engine damage but they're still giving the green light. Looks like they wanna take that risk!"

Another explosion nearly knocked the crew off their chairs. Their shields were buckling.

"This is Captain Jericho of the _Arcadia_, we can't wait any longer! Brace yourselves and begin random firing sequence!"

Now every ship with long range weaponry targeted their arrays into the field, trying to cover an area as wide as possible. With the _Son of the Empire_'s lasers and photon cannons charged, Stith began firing into the field in the direction of the complex, just like several of the other larger ships. It didn't take long for them to hit something. A massive series of shockwaves was coming their way.

"Brace!"

The powerful force washed over the ship, the thrusters having trouble compensating. Some of the smaller ships and especially the fighters were simply tossed away by the blast, smashing into hulls and shields. An enemy warship got bombarded by her own fighter squadron crashing into the hull. It exploded eventually, the debris taken away by the shockwaves. As more mines farther away exploded, the shockwaves steadily lost in strength as they cleared a way to the complex. Now they were ready to take the fight to the real enemy.

"Okay let's move. Keep firing and stay on alert! I bet they have more tricks up their sleeve." Most of the enemy fleet was destroyed and now that they had cleared a safe path, the remainder of the Republic fleet began moving toward the giant complex. The remaining enemy ships retreated back inside the nebula. There were too few of them now to continue the attack but the Republic had lost ships too and others were heavily damaged. "I hope we have enough firepower left to take that thing down. It looks tough," Captain Jericho expressed his concern. As they moved toward it, the complex became bigger and bigger. They knew they were being watched their every step of the way. It couldn't be that easy. But they were almost within firing range. Just a few thousand kilometers. Every Captain expected their ship and the fleet to be fired upon any second. But before a second battle could even take place, all inter-ship communication was suddenly severed. "What the he-"

They were simply cut off from each other. On every bridge the main viewer flickered as a transmission forced itself through the hacked com systems of all ships. The face that appeared on screen was frightening, though not as frightening as some others they had seen. The Seraphim had on orange-colored skin and eyes in the same color. They had a dangerous glitter in them and the sound of his laugh made clear that he was up to no good. No one dared to speak.

"Welcome friendsss. My name is Asath-Yvanu. You've arrived just in time. In time to meet your own… demise. Don't feel bad. Your galaxy hasss become part of the new Ssseraphim Order. It won't be wasted."

"You can't threaten us!" The voice of the warship Captain could still be heard over the com of all ships. "We've come all this way to put an end to your sick plans."

"You've murdered enough of our people! Now we have come to take our revenge!"

But Asath-Yvanu clacked with his tongue and chuckled. His chuckle went over into a laugh. A cold laugh without real joy in it.

"I admire your courage. But that alone won't help you thisss time. Good luck and farewell."

He laughed again but was cut off by the restored com and communication between all ships was restored too. A massive explosion shook the _Arcadia_ and several other ships. The blast was powerful, draining their shields fast.

"What was that?"

"I don't know sir but it didn't sound good. They've opened fire."

"Evade and return fire."

"Captain! Sensors have picked up numerous new contacts entering the area! They're coming from all directions."

"They're trying to surround us," Jericho said to no one in particular. "It's a trap." His ship trembled again, a series of missiles impacting on the weakening shields. "Launch all remaining _Dominators_! Direct most of your fire at the complex! We've gotta get to them personally."

"All right, you've heard him," Kero relayed the order to his crew. "Stith, direct all of your fire at the main target."

"You got it, sir. I'm on it."

Pointing the massive Imperial warship's turrets in the right direction, she used those she couldn't redirect at the complex to hold off the incoming enemy vessels. There were hundreds, perhaps thousands of them. _We are asking for your help one more time, Kirliya the Enlightened. The future of every one of your children depends on it._ She had never asked for the First Warrior_'s_ guidance as often as during the past few months. But she knew she was listening, watching over her children like always. It gave her people even more strength and determination then they already had. During the entire battle she constantly caught herself trying to look for the _Valkyrie_'s signature. She knew why. She and Akima had watched each other's backs the entire time during the war on her homeworld. She had gotten used to it so much that even now she couldn't stop and she knew that her friend was looking out for her as well. The battlefield had brought made their friendship even stronger.

"Allied ships are launching more fighters, Captain."

"And we're gonna need them," Stith said, bracing for another impact, starting a bombardment on the enemy base, just like most of the other ships. They had to pull through, for the sake of the galaxy, perhaps the entire universe. _Stay alive Akima, I've got your back._

"I can't shake them! I can't shake them!" Akima yelled, pulling the controls so hard, she almost yanked them off the console.

Even her best maneuvers seemed useless at the moment. They were with too many and she had to evade both their shots and the fighters themselves. It was more intense than ever and they just kept hitting them no matter what she tried.

"Yes you can!" her Captain tried to encourage her. "Concentrate girl, you're faster than them, better!"

"Shields are down to forty-three percent!" Cale shouted, after another direct hit. "You can't let them keep hitting us like that!"

"You wanna try?" his wife yelled back full of anger and frustration.

There were explosions all around the ship. The fighters were everywhere. She was afraid that she would eventually hit one. But she couldn't let that happen. Korso was right. She was better than them. There was no substitute for a highly-skilled flesh and blood pilot. Together with Derek they formed a good team. She just had to keep dodging and he had to keep shooting.

"Aft shields are down to forty-eight percent! Forty… Thirty-five!"

Stith was mad. Even with every weapon at her disposal firing, the _Son of the Empire_ was still a target too big and too tempting to miss in this chaos. The shields were draining rapidly and with so little space for Naea to maneuver safely it was impossible to evade. And to make matters worse, the shields of the Seraphim complex appeared to be impenetrable. The _Son of the Empire_ and several other ships had kept their weapons firing on them since the start of the battle but so far they hadn't even manage to dent them.

"Captain, the _Shenzehwi_ has been destroyed! Several other ships are reporting severe hull damage."

Stith had never seen her mate so frustrated. They were surrounded. The size of the enemy force was beyond comprehension and their real target was as good as untouchable, protected behind a barrier they couldn't breach. Another hit nearly knocked everyone out of their seats.

"Shields are down to ten percent!" Another one. An enemy warship had set its sights on them, it's forward launchers spitting projectiles while plasma bolts hammered on what was left of the shields. Showers of sparks rained down on the deck, the lights and consoles flickered and a conduit behind her exploded, starting a small fire. "Hull breach, deck four! Emergency force fields in place."

"Divert more power to the shields!" Stith shook her head, ramming her fist on the console.

"That's all we've had left." The main viewer flickered. The enemy warship was attacked and destroyed by a massive barrage of cannon fire. The shots were fired by the _Strength of the Coalition_'s bow cannons. The massive Coalition starship was in trouble too but that didn't withhold her commander officer from helping others. Another explosion, directly on the hull, the sound of collapsing bulkheads coming from the lower decks. "Damn it!"

"Remodulate the shields. Recharge and get them back up!"

"It's gonna take a while."

"I've gotta stop them."

In the chaos of the battle no one had seen her enter. She slowly made her way to the front section of the command center, as if driven by an outside force. A normal child would be afraid at a time like this. Her parents had followed her as well. They stood by the turbolift, unable to do anything.

"_What is she doing here?_" it flashed through Stith's mind.

Before she could say something someone else noticed.

"What is this child doing here?"

But when Kero noticed her he finally lost his temper, something that rarely happened and never with child. He grabbed Shezu by her shirt, pulled her up to his face and roughly shook her up. She didn't even look at him and didn't seem to care either.

"What're you doing here? I'm not gonna let you do it, you hear me? I'm not gonna let you kill yourself!"

"Leave her alone! Let my daughter go!" Shiweyah cried.

She pulled his arm in an attempt to free her daughter from his grip but before he could put her down she looked at him and touched his chest.

"When I tell you to, you will do it."

By the expression on his face, Stith could tell that her mate was both mentally touched by her and confused at the same time. He slowly put her back on her feet and stared at her as if she just vanished into thin air. He couldn't know however that she was actually planning to.

"Captain, someone's activating the transporters!"

"What? Who's operating?"

"No one, sir. They're activating on their own."

But when he looked down at the child, he saw her looking, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"I'm sorry."

Before anyone could intervene, Shezu disappeared in a pattern of tiny orange stars, leaving behind a wake of confusion.

"Where is she?"

"Sir, if these readings are correct, there was a slight local drop of the enemy's shields just before she transported. She… She beamed over, sir."


	47. Chapter 44 The Fall Part 2

**The Fall - Part 2**

She never expected it to be beautiful. The environment she found herself in was so unlike anything she imagined it would be. Not after touching those tortured souls. Their black hearts. Their evil desires. She could feel their presence though. They lit up like beacons of darkness on her mental radar. It made her shiver when she touched them. Her surroundings were the complete opposite. She was obviously in some kind of temple complex. The place was warm, pleasantly lit and it didn't even feel hostile to her. But of course that was only for a short moment. Internal sensors had picked up a bio sign that didn't belong here, setting off a soft alarm and making everyone aware of the problem. But Shezu wasn't afraid. In fact, she wanted them to find her. And her wish was granted. Two groups of warriors arrived from both entrances to the temple. Their un-translated voices were vicious and sharp, like a poisoned blade. They were armed with weapons that resembled the energy lances carried by the palace guards of Emperor Zahn. But they were charged and aimed at her. Closing her eyes she called upon the power of her mind to do the rest. The blasts whined past her, deflected by her psychic shield without causing any harm. They couldn't touch her. She could unleash her power upon them; destroy them all but she chose not to. There had to be different way than to cause more death and destruction. But then they stopped. A voice ordered them to. A voice coming from right in front of her. When she opened her eyes again, the warriors had lowered their weapons. She couldn't see the owner of the voice but she had felt him and strangely his heart didn't appear to be as dark as some of the others. There was a slight chance that there was still a bit of reason inside of him. She had to try.

The wall she faced turned out to be holographic. It disappeared into thin air, revealing an opening with a room behind it. And in this opening stood three Seraphim. They stepped out into the temple, their eyes fixed on her, flickering with uncontrollable anger. She shivered again when they made eye contact but tried not to show fear. The middle of the three spoke first, his voice hissing with rage. It was the one who ordered the others to stop attacking her.

"How _dare_ you set your dirty feet inside this temple you filthy pheasant!" he shouted. "How did you get in here?"

If he had beaten her instead of shouting it wouldn't had the same effect. But instead of recoiling in fear, she forced herself to look up to him. Brushing her hair out of her face, using her mental connection to make her words understandable to him and the other way around, she replied.

"I wanna talk. There's something I want you to tell me. And there's something I need to tell you as well. But first you must stop your attack."

The alien was speechless for a few seconds. Obviously he didn't expect such a bold reaction. But then he laughed. Even that gave her the shivers. It was a horrible sound.

"Why would I do that? And what makes you think I have anything to say to you?"

"Because I know you will. Remember what happened on that planet you tried to conquer? How your forces were stopped by a being of immense power? That being was _me_!"

* * *

"Another hull breach on deck seven! It's losing pressure!"

"Seal off that deck! Get everyone out!"

Kero watched the faces of his crew all around him while their greatest fears became reality. With the shields down, the _Son of the Empire_ was shot to bits with every hit. Trying to keep the crewmember in his arms from losing consciousness because of his injuries, he felt hopeless. Reports kept coming in of more ships being lost in the battle, sickbay was flooding with wounded, multiple hull breaches drained the atmosphere and his crew was dying. Closing himself off from his surroundings he prayed it would be over soon. They couldn't fail.

"Structural integrity is failing!"

He could hear the sound of more bulkheads collapsing somewhere on the lower decks.

"No!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

As if someone heard him, the sound of explosions suddenly faded away. The ship stopped shaking.

"Sir, they've… they've stopped," Rilas said, checking his console. "They're standing down."

The main viewer flickered. It was a transmission from Captain Jericho.

"Everyone report!"

"We're alive, Captain!" Rilas said. "But barely."

Kero looked at the officer in his arms. He tried to swallow the blood that dripped from his beak and his eyes were rolling but a medical team finally arrived to take him to sickbay.

"Now hold on my friend. That's an order." He softly squeezed his Lieutenant's arm and stood up, wiping across a bleeding wound on his cheek. "Is everyone all right? If not, report to sickbay." He coughed, the smoke prickling in his throat and lungs. "What's the situation?"

Bad. He didn't even have to ask. They had lost more than half of the fleet and the other half had taken heavy damage. Many wouldn't even be able to get home in their current state. But the real question was: Why did they stop? They could've taken them out easily. They were vastly outnumbered. But the answer flashed through his mind when his eyes fell upon Shiweyah and her mate.

* * *

"What?" The Seraphim was mad with anger. The translations of his language didn't make sense to her right now but his thoughts spoke for him. "Nonsense! That's ridiculous! You can't be! Kill this creature and remove it from my sight!" But that made her angry. He didn't even want to listen. All they wanted was to kill and destroy. Before the warriors could fire their weapons again, she lashed out with her both her hands, gathering a large amount of psionic energy in a short moment. The tiled floor under her feet cracked as she pushed two shockwaves of energy in their direction, blowing them against the wall. It knocked every single one of them out. Part of the Asath-Yvanu's anger had made place for fear. She saw him realize it was true. He did a step back and so did his two brothers. "Impossible," he blurted out. "It can't be."

"Stop your attack," Shezu said demandingly.

Decreasing her energy output, she lowered her defenses.

"Do it." Neither one of his brothers moved. "I said, do it you fool!" The right one, with the sand-colored skin and golden eyes turned around quickly and went back into the room. Then he slowly turned his head back toward her, clearly resisting the urge to slaughter her with his bare hands, baring his sharp teeth. "What do you want?"

"I want answers," Shezu replied quietly. Sorrow threatened to overwhelm her again when she thought about her father. A layer of it covered her voice. "I just wanna know. Why? Why are you doing this?"

She almost shouted and begged him to tell her. But he had nothing to lose by doing so.

"Why? You wanna know why?" The Seraphim snorted angrily. "How would you feel if your race casted you out because of what you've become because you've sacrificed everything for them except life itself?" Shezu was quiet for a moment. As much as she disliked it she was forced to agree with him. "What would that do to you? How would you feel? Hated? Betrayed? Exactly! So my answer is simple. Because we have no other purpose! No other reason to exist than to do the things we were created for!"

"No, no that's not true!"

"It is!"

"No, you can create your own purpose! Give meaning to your own life, a reason to exist! Believe it or not, it's what I had to face too." The Seraphim opened his mouth to speak but instead of disputing her words again, he merely growled in anger. She knew he couldn't, because she had showed him a flash of her memory in that tiny moment. He knew it was true. "My life has been short; now you know why. And I didn't know my purpose either. The world was so big and the universe infinitely bigger and I had no direction, no goal. But I had people around me who loved me. And when all of that disappeared on one day, I didn't know what to do. I got so mad that no one was able to reason with me anymore. I made a mistake and hurt a lot of innocent people in the process. Then, that same day my whole life turned out to be a lie. And still…" She started crying. "Still, I couldn't hate him for it. He was my father. He loved me. He loved us."

"Why are you telling me all this?" the Seraphim grumbled impatiently.

Shezu wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and snorted.

"Because from that day on I tried to give my life meaning. And I succeeded. I have a reason to exist. My goal is to stop you and your kind from murdering billions of innocent people."

Asath-Yvanu laughed. It was a jeering laugh and this time with a hint of what could be humor in it.

"I knew it. I knew you couldn't be here just to have a little chat about the value of life. You're here to kill us all."

"No." She shook her head, and she managed to surprise him again. "I've done enough hurt in my life. I'm not gonna kill anyone. On behalf of everyone out there, I'm begging you to stop with what you're doing. If you can't live with your own people then why not come and live with us?"

The Seraphim scoffed.

"Just the idea!"

"I know you think of us as filthy and inferior but we're not really as bad as you think. You're made of flesh and blood too."

"We can't! Even if we agreed on that gruesome idea of yours."

"Why not?"

"Because this is what we've become! Lost souls, consumed by anger and hatred and with a constant desire to kill and destroy."

"I feel sorry for you."

"Enough! I don't understand why we're still talking! It's pointless anyway."

It happened all of a sudden. She was distracted and hadn't seen it coming. While Asath-Yvanu talked to her, his brother behind him had drawn a weapon in the meantime. There were two quick flashes, the whining sound of concentrated energy bursts crossing the distance between the weapon's muzzle and her body in a lethal microsecond. She screamed and fell on her first set of knees as the blast struck her right shoulder like a hot and razor-sharp blade. She couldn't concentrate because of the pain. Nothing prevented him from firing again. He could kill her right now if he wanted but for some reason he didn't. Warm blood trickled through the fingers of the hand she pressed against the wound. _Gotta stop the bleeding._ She had her eyes closed, tried to concentrate. It was hard. Her breathing was rapid, irregular, just like the beat of her hearts.

"Shall I continue the attack, Asath-Yvanu?"

It was the voice of the other Seraphim who was ordered to stop the attack.

"Eliminate them. We'll deal with this one here."

She almost panicked. His footsteps were next to her and shortly thereafter the muzzle of a weapon made contact with her head. She heard the charge of the weapon. It would all be over soon. She couldn't wait. There was no time. _Concentrate. C'mon, you gotta concentrate, Shezu. _

"You can do it."

"Dad?" She entered that same space again. The depths of her mind she also went to in that critical moment during the battle. And he stood there, as if waiting for her. Galen smiled, like always. "Dad!" She threw her arms around his waist in an attempt to hug him but she couldn't feel anything. He was just a memory, a shadow of him. She could touch him but not feel him. She didn't even feel the hand he put on her shoulder. "Dad," she sniffled.

"It's all right. But you gotta hurry, Shezu. You don't have much time."

"But it hurts so much! I can't concentrate."

"Don't concentrate on your pain. You don't need much energy. You told him about you plan right?"

"I-I believe so." It was in the middle of a chaotic situation. She hoped Kero understood the message and knew what he had to do. His ship had the power to end all this. But maybe there was another reason why she entrusted him with the decision. "Dad? Am I a coward?"

"Are you?"

"I-I don't know. I just don't wanna hurt anyone anymore."

Galen purred in a soothing way. She just didn't want to use her powers to do such horrible things. Maybe it was wrong to put it all on Kero's shoulders but someone had to do it. But she could help them. She didn't think of herself as being capable of taking someone's life anymore but there was still something she could do. Now she just needed to find the strength to do it. She looked up at the face of the image of the Mantrin she had known as her father. His hand touched her cheek, brushing her hair out of her face. She could almost feel it. There was just the memory of his touch but it was enough.

"Are you ready?"

She nodded.

"Then go."

The environment of her mind disappeared with a flash, returning her to her spot on the tiled floor of the Seraphim temple. The white tiles were covered with tiny droplets of blood. Her blood that had soaked her shirt and stuck to her hand. But in the meantime she had managed to stop the bleeding, or at least for the most part. She had a goal. She knew what to do. Next to her someone screamed. The pressure of the gun against her head disappeared and the weapon clattered to the floor. The other Seraphim clamped his aching hand where the weapon that had turned to a glowing hot state had left burn marks in his skin. She closed her eyes again to concentrate.

"_C'mon Kero. Do it."_ The complex vibrated slightly for a moment. The battle continued and her family and friends were in danger. She needed to lower the shield, if only a local spot and make mental contact with the Prince. Suddenly the lights flickered and the computer warned for a shield failure and damage to the outer hull. It was a sign for her that it was working. "Please Kero."

"What are you doing?"

It was Asath-Yvanu's angry voice again and she hadn't accounted for the hand that hit her right cheek in an ugly way. She fell but tried to maintain her connection while creating a shield around her to protect herself from harm. The Seraphim growled when he made contact with her shield in an attempt to get to her. She heard him pick up the weapon the other one had dropped. He fired at her energy barrier but the blasts were unable to penetrate. And in the meantime Shezu tried with all her strength to reach out. She had to reach him. Everything depended on it.

Aboard the _Valkyrie_, Joseph Korso tried to come up with a plan. Something happened. According to Jericho a child had beamed into the Seraphim complex in an attempt to put a stop to it and apparently it had worked. The enemy warships surrounding their crippled fleet had stopped firing but their weapons were still online. They could continue their attack at any moment depending on how much time she could buy. He knew it was Shezu, even if he hadn't been told. But now was not the time to question her course of action. They had to take action themselves.

"Can we get under their shield?"

He looked at his tactical officer who slowly shook his head after a look on his console.

"There's not enough room. Even if we try we'll be caught in our own blast."

_Damn. _Despite Akima's skilled piloting their shields were low and they had taken damage just like the other ships. On top of that they were low on torpedoes and the enemy's numbers were too great and the complex's shields too strong. There had to be a way to breach those shields.

"Now how did she get in anyway? I thought those transporters couldn't beam through shields?"

"They can't," Cale replied. "She must've used her powers to lower it."

"This is crazy." Brian sighed. "There's gotta be a way to get to them."

"Captain, the enemy ships are charging weapons. Whatever happened in there I don't think the outcome was in our favor."

"Blast it! Everyone get ready."

"Captain, I may have found a spot where we can get under their shield. It's small and heavily defended but it's our only chance."

"All right. Akima, mark those coordinates. We're gonna give it a shot. It's risky but we don't have much choice. Give it all you've got guys!"

* * *

_When I tell you to, you will do it. Do what exactly? C'mon Kero, think! _There was something Shezu wanted him to do. Apparently she had some sort of plan and a backup plan in case it failed. Too bad she never told anyone else and left just him with a vague hint.

"Sir? Are you all right?"

Rilas' voice temporarily interrupted his train of thoughts.

"I… I'm fine Rilas. It's just…"

"What did she tell you?"

He shook his head again.

"I don't know. Just that I have to do something when she tells me to. Though I wonder if she's still alive in there. I know she's a tough one but…"

Suddenly Shiweyah positioned herself in front of him, her face wet from the tears, a pleading look in her golden eyes.

"Please, get my daughter back. She could be injured, dying. I beg of you." He didn't know what to answer. With those shields still up there was no way they could get her back. He felt sorry for her but her daughter had such a strong will of her own. Even if he could, he doubted she would let him. "What did she want from you?"

"I had to, do something…" The last bit of his sentence was lost as his eyes fell upon his mate. Stith did what she could to keep the ship from falling apart, preparing for one last battle. She knew just as well as he that this could be their last battle and yet there wasn't a hint of fear on her face, only anger. And in that tiny moment, when she looked up and their eyes connected into a stare, it flashed through his mind. There was one thing they hadn't tried yet. _Of course! We still got those! _"Stith, status."

"Shields are recharging," she grumbled. "It'll take a while to get them back to full strength. Most of our weapons are offline."

"What about the Obsidian cannons?"

If he had looked behind him he would have noticed that a few more heads turned in his direction. Rilas even felt the need to warn him.

"Eh, sir? We've never actually used them before."

"I'm aware of that, Rilas. I guess it's time for a field test."

"You want me to activate them?"

"Power them up Stith, use everything available, including life support if you have to." Stith confirmed with a nod but with a look of concern on her face. "Naea, back us off _slowly._ Tell all other ships to do the same. These are experimental weapons. We don't know what they'll do."

It was a plan. Maybe not the best plan but better than simply waiting for the Seraphim to finish them off. He heard Stith, most of their conventional weapons were offline. The ship was in bad shape anyway. They wouldn't be able to make any kind of stand for long.

"Captain, they're charging weapons again. I don't think it worked."

"No," Shiweyah said with a sob. "No, she can't be."

"How far's the fleet?"

"They're entering safe range. Some ships have severe engine damage. They're being towed out. Wait, one ship's moving toward them."

"On ramming course?"

"I don't believe so. It's the RSS _Valkyrie_, sir."

Stith felt as if someone hit her with a shock stick. An unpleasant feeling suddenly took hold of her. _Akima. _What in Kirliya's name were they doing? There was nothing they could do on their own.

"Contact that ship!" she yelled.

"Do it," her Captain approved the order.

"Akima what're you doing?"

The transmission was rerouted to her console so she could talk to her friend directly. She had a tense look of concentration on her face and hadn't expected it.

"Captain's got a plan. I'm following orders."

"You're gonna get yourself killed. We've got a plan too. And we don't have to get that close." In the meantime the fleet began firing whatever weapons they still had. And strangely with some success. It was hard to see but apparently they had found a vulnerable area in their shield and her sensors confirmed it. "Captain, there's a hole in their shield. Akima, get outta there! This is our chance!" Fortunately she had raised what was left of the shields. The enemy warships continued their attack and they had to hold out for just bit a longer. That hole was there for a reason. It had to be Shezu. "Obsidian cannons are ready to fire, sir. Akima, get away from there!"

"Almost!" The sound of weapons fire was audible on the background of the transmission and the _Valkyrie_ shook violently but she fired her own weapons as well. Suddenly the shields around the complex fluctuated. But before completely failing they came back up again, leaving just the little hole. "It didn't work! We're moving out. I'm sorry-"

The transmission became garbled by static and was cut off. The _Valkyrie_ took some hits but she seemed to be okay for the most part. Maybe it was just the com.

"Captain, I-"

But Kero didn't seem to hear her. And it didn't take her long to realize why. He was talking to her.

"_Are you all right?"_

He could sense her, see the perilous situation she was in right now, feel her pain, mentally and physically. It cost her the greatest effort to keep this up.

"_I-I can manage. I don't know for how long. There are some things I want you to do Kero. But first, I want to tell you that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for hurting you and your family so much."_

"_It's all right. We forgive you. Listen to me, I'm gonna get you out of there okay? Just hold on." _

He could hear her laugh mentally. He wasn't aware yet that those on the bridge could follow his half of the conversation as he was talking aloud as well.

"_Don't lie. I know you wanna help me but we both know you can't. I have to keep this hole open. I-"_ He almost lost her in that moment. She was weakening. _"You've gotta hurry. There's not much time. Tell… Tell my parents that I'm sorry and that I love them. Despite the way I've been since we met, I really do. I really love them." _

"_That's all right. They're here. I'll tell them. Don't worry." _

Something warm and wet started trickling down his cheeks. It was hard for him to hear her talk like that. She was preparing to leave this existence behind. It would break her mother's hearts.

"_When you get back, tell my brothers and sisters the same. We weren't real family but it sure felt like we were. We loved each other. Tell them I loved them." _

"_I will. I will." _

"_It's time for me to go. Have you done what I asked you to do?" _

"_Well, it took me some time to figure it out but, we're ready." _She nodded mentally. _"Now hold on. I'll contact another ship. Tell them to get a transporter lock on you. They'll get you out the moment we fire." _

"Do it!" Rilas relayed the order.

"_There's… There's no time. Just do it! Do it now!"_

It was as if she temporarily took control of his body. He felt how his hand lifted, giving Stith the confirmation she needed. The tap of a button on her console was followed by the audible charge of the cannons when all available power was redirected directly into their capacitors. The ship lost all power and a moment later they were standing in the dark. Two incredibly powerful beams left the muzzles of the cannons as they fired all of the ship's available energy straight through the hole in the shields for a direct hit to the complex itself. No armor could withstand a beam that powerful, let alone two. They drilled straight through the hull toward the center of the installation, vaporizing everything in their path. Around their path of destruction a series of massive detonations tore through the complex, breaking off large pieces, scattering debris in all directions. There was no stopping it. The moment the capacitors were exhausted the beams had reached the core of the complex. The massive quantum reactor exploded with the light of a newborn star, incinerating everything surrounding it. The _Son of the Empire_ trembled violently under the force of the explosions and the crew was unable to see anything as they were still without power. The rest of the fleet however watched from a safe distance as the beings that plunged the galaxy into war and chaos were finally eliminated. It was finally over. As the Imperial warship's systems came back up there was nothing but debris left. They were gone. The enemy ships were now floating. Without a system to control them they were useless.

"No!" Shiweyah yelled. "What have you done? You killed my baby! You murdered her!"

She threw herself against him and pounded with her fist on his chest in anger and sorrow. He didn't even resist but eventually Shiweyah gave up and cried in his arms. She knew it wasn't his fault, yet she sought for someone to blame.

"Anything?"

Stith shook her head.

"They're gone. Everything's gone. Nothing but debris."

"All right. I want a full damage report."

"Wait. I think I've got something." Everyone turned their heads toward her. It was impossible. Nothing could've survived that blast, but Stith was positive. "A life sign. Very weak, but it's there. Sir, it's… it's her. Looks like she's using some kind of shield to protect herself."

"Do we have transporters?"

"Positive."

"Beam her directly to sickbay."

"Incoming transmission. It's Captain Jericho."

"Put it up."

The human breathed a sigh of relief. His ship was in a shape just as worse as his and they were busy taking care of their wounded too.

"Captain, I think we all owe you one."

Kero shook his head.

"Strangely no. You don't owe me anything. We all owe our lives to a child in my sickbay. And I don't know about you but let's get out of here. Let's get home."

"Agreed. We're gonna destroy what's left of the enemy fleet. But we've decided to take some samples with us as well. One can say about them what they want but this race was way ahead of us in their technology. There's a lot we can learn from them."

"Not a bad idea. I'm sorry Captain, but there's something I need to take care off. Let's all get back to a safe haven. Then we'll talk."

"Safe journey. Jericho out."

* * *

Sickbay was filled with wounded and there weren't even enough beds but one was occupied by Shezu. Her parents were with her and Kero had brought Stith down with him. Even for them it was hard to watch.

"Why? Why can't you save her?" Shiweyah wailed.

The girl was unconscious -fortunately not in a coma- and appeared to be sleeping but something was wrong.

"What's wrong with her?" Kero asked.

The doctor shook his head. He was powerless and didn't know what else to do than what he had already done; cleaning and healing her wounds.

"I don't know. I can't find anything physically wrong with her."

Despite his inability to find the source of the problem something was definitely not right. Her vital signs were slowly deteriorating and there was nothing they could do. Her mother cried while her father gently stroke her cheek, brushing through her golden silvery-streaked hair with his claw. It was the worst thing that could happen to a parent. Stith couldn't watch. Sinking on her knees next to the bed she gently stroke Shiweyah's back, trying to comfort her by talking to her. Kero sighed.

"I eh… I-I know you're blaming me for what happened to her. And I know I ordered my mate to fire that weapon. I want you to know that-"

"Don't bother," she sobbed. "I know it wasn't your fault." She looked at him, her face wet from the tears. "It was her right? She was talking to you, a moment ago, on the bridge. She forced you to do it." He slowly nodded in affirmation. "But why? Why did she wanna die? Am I such a bad mother? Did she hate me so much that she wanted to get away from me?"

"No, no I don't believe that," Stith tried to comfort her.

"No, she told me she loved you. Both of you. Honestly."

"I don't understand," Shiweyah said, wiping her eyes.

"Mom? Dad?" a soft and tired voice sounded behind her.

"I'm here sweetheart," her father said, sinking on his knees next to the bed on the other side.

He grabbed her hand and gently touched his muzzle to it.

"Shezu," her mother sobbed.

The girl stared at the faces of her parents through two tiny slits. She could barely open her eyes.

"Mom, dad, I'm sorry."

"Why did you do that to yourself?"

She drew a careful breath. Everything she did seemed to cost a great deal of effort. Protecting herself from that blast drained her body of every single drop of energy, leaving just enough to keep her alive.

"I-I had to, mom. I had to protect you all."

Her mother shook her head.

"No, no, we were fine. We were here all the time."

"No, they would've killed you all. I had to stop them. I'm glad it worked. But there's something I have to tell you. Dad, can you come a little closer?" She swallowed and slowly took a breath. "I'm sorry. I know I haven't been much of a daughter to you. But that's not your fault. I love you both. Very much. But all the time since we met, I felt like I was living someone else's life. Not mine. And… And I'm sorry for that."

"It's all right, sweetheart. We're not angry with you. We love you too."

She tried to smile.

"I-I think it's time for me to go."

"Go where? Please stay with us, Shezu. You're our daughter."

"I can't, mom. I'm so tired and I'm cold too."

"Stay warm under this," her father said, placing the sheet further over her body up to her neck. His daughter's eyes slowly fell shut. She tried to keep them open but she was too tired.

"Tell… Tell my brothers and sisters that… that I love them."

"We will. Don't worry. Go to sleep. We'll be here when you wake up."

"Why is the light so bright? Who is that?"

"Kero and Stith are here to see you too."

"No. She's… She's taking my ha…"


	48. Chapter 45 What the Future May Hold

**What the Future May Hold**

Standing on the large balcony adjacent to the throne hall, Kero watched out over the city of Ta'keth. It was the capital of Sogowa Prime, the place where he grew up and thanks to the courage and the determination of a small group of people, some not even from this world, it survived the final Seraphim assault. The inhabitants were all working together to clear the rubble, rebuild their homes and their shops and return the city to the peaceful place it used to be. Some were lucky, their houses having suffered only minor damage. Others were less fortunate and had lost everything but all of them did their best to help each other. The sun casted it's warm shine all over the valley in which the city was located. It was warm but it was better than rain as that would make things more difficult. Kero's thoughts however were not with the people of the city. They were still up there, drifting in space. Everything that happened left a mark in his memory. It was as if his physical body stood here but his mind was someplace else. He took a deep breath through his nose. The sweet smell of the palace gardens was there but very faint. The trees and flowers had suffered in the attack as well but they would grow back eventually and even faster with the dedication of a good gardener.

"Hey, why didn't you tell me you were back?"

Turning around he looked straight in the bright blue eyes of his mother. The'lah looked back at him with a worried look on her face. As his mother, she could feel something wasn't okay with her son. Stepping toward him she enclosed him in her arms, laying her head in his neck, embracing him firmly.

"Mom, it's… It's…"

"No, it's not okay." She softly licked his cheek. "Stith told me what happened. By Kirliya, that poor girl. And what about her parents?" It took a while for her to finally bring herself to release him and in all that time he had said nothing. Holding on to his hands, she squeezed softly. Then she placed one hand on his cheek, caressing softly. "I'm proud of you. I'm so glad you and your brother are still with us."

Her son sighed. Should he tell what happened? It wouldn't hurt him more than it already did. The'lah would understand.

"Mom, Shezu, it's… it's as if I can still feel her. D'you know how that feels? Even though she's with Kirliya I can still hear the memory of her mental voice echoing through my head. I think she thought they would be her last moments. It was her goodbye. And for me it was actually the last time I talked to her."

"You're in pain." The'lah slowly heaved a sigh and looked down at the tiled floor. She thought for a moment and when she looked up at him, Kero knew she was going to say something to ease his pain. "Kero, I'm gonna tell you something I haven't told anyone yet, not even your father." She turned to face the city, not facing him directly. Wondering what it could be he stepped a little closer to her. "Kero, when Shezu first came, remember she wanted revenge?"

"How could I forget? She almost killed you."

"No, she was right about one thing. If she really wanted to kill me she would've done so instantly. She was blinded by her anger but after she calmed down a bit and tried to save my life something happened. You were angry and her residual anger strengthened yours because of her empathic abilities. But I felt sorry for her and I could feel that she was sorry and that's why I allowed her to make up for what she did."

"You trusted her, but I didn't."

"That's not all. When she tried to save me, she entered my mind and when I finally woke up, I felt that she left something in there. Not physically. It didn't even hurt anymore afterwards. But it's as if she left a tiny part of herself in my mind. It took a while for it to disappear but during that time I could feel her guilt over what she had done. I didn't tell your father because I didn't want to upset or worry him. You're gonna feel it too for while."

"Thanks, I think. Now I really won't forget her."

"Daddy! Daddy!"

Just the sound of their voices brought a smile to his face. They always did no matter what. As he scooped up Nalu and tickled with the soft end of his beak to his chest making growling sounds, the boy cackled with laughter. Stith had Jalla in her arms and even Zahn, Rajah and Ganyu joined them. After a terrible series of events and fighting that didn't seem to have an end maybe there was a small chance they could be a family again for a while, without duty and all the obligations of being a warrior and an officer of the Imperial Guard. Just the prospect made him happy.

"I'm so proud of you. Of both my sons and my daughter," Zahn said, putting a hand on both Stith's and Rajah's shoulder.

"And I'm just as proud," Ganyu said, giving Stith a lick on her cheek.

"Thanks dad, dads actually," Stith said.

"I think we need a celebration," Zahn decided.

He had already made the decision without consulting with anyone first but no one really seemed to mind.

"In three days there's gonna be an honoring on New Earth too," Kero said, making his mate remember something.

"Yeah and Akima talked to me about throwing a party as well. You know, she and Cale still need to celebrate their honeymoon."

"You're not serious," The'lah said with a bit of shock in her voice.

"We're all invited. D'you wanna come with us?"

"Well, why not?" Zahn said with a laugh. "Besides, I like that little place the humans have out there between the stars."

The'lah snorted.

"You're just enjoying all the attention you're getting out there."

"Not true," Zahn said quasi-indignantly. "Well, maybe a little."

"Zahn!"

She sighed derisively but her mate merely smirked. But it was one of the reasons she fell in love with him and if she even felt a spark of anger it was hard to stay mad at him for long. Rajah stepped up to his brother and smiled.

"Guess you finally managed, Kero."

"Managed what?"

Rajah smirked mischievously and laughed teasingly.

"This is the first time you didn't wreck the ship. It's still in one piece if I heard correctly."

First Kero didn't know what to see. His mouth simply fell open. But eventually he decided to remove that smirk before it split his brother's face in two.

"Oh, now I'm gonna give it to you!" he grumbled, though he meant well.

"No, no wait! Stop! Aow! Ah, hey that hurts!"

Everyone laughed. It was not a very nice thing to say but the way Rajah brought it made it funny.

"Third time's the charm, I believe is the saying," Stith said. A couple of heads turned. "What? I heard Akima say it once. When I asked her what it meant she said it had something to do with the belief that the third attempt has a higher chance of success or something."

"Ah, not those human expressions again," Kero said, forgetting about his brother. "They're weird. They don't have a clear meaning."

"You can ask her all about it when we're there. But first we're gonna have a little R and R. I haven't had the change to relax in months."

"My idea," Kero agreed. "Come Nalu."

The boy laughed and walked in front of him back to the throne hall. It was time to do the things with them they were supposed to do. Being their parents, playing games and having fun. _Maybe we can make up a little for all the time we've lost._

"The Seraphim threat has come to an end. After a long and bloody struggle the worlds of the Republic have finally seen the last of their war machines. Now is the time to mourn for the people that didn't make it till the end and for those who sacrificed their lives to protect others. Remember them. Do not forget them. They have gone to a better place and we have to make ours a better place again, by rebuilding our worlds, our homes and our lives. Peace to all. This is Ashley Martinez, reporting live from the surface of a freed Earth_._"

The _Valkyrie_ crew watched the _NewsNet_ video feed on a big screen in _The Lighthouse_. Not just everyone in the establishment watched, but they watched in silence, showing respect for the people the reporter just spoke of. There was going to be an official honoring in three days but everyone still felt the war weigh down heavily on their shoulders. Although it had finally come to an end, the effects were noticeably perceptible and would be for quite a while. Some worlds had suffered greatly, their native inhabitants even more.

"What happened to the Seraphim down here, exactly?" Cale asked when the conversations resumed.

No one was really in the mood for throwing a party right now. Everyone was exhausted, a little on edge and the only thing that really sounded good to all of them was sleeping for a day or two.

"I believe I can answer that."

"Kendra," Akima said in a happy and surprised way.

Commander Natal smiled faintly, sitting down at the table when Korso shoved her a chair. Her intense blue eyes locked in a stare with each crewmember before she spoke.

"One committed suicide by self-destructing his ACU. The other tried to run, presumably after he lost connection with the main base. Of course with his quantum gates down, there was nowhere to run and he was eventually caught and 'taken care of' by Coalition forces. They're doing the same on other worlds to make sure they're none left. We don't want a repetition of the past few months."

"That takes care of another problem," Korso said rather nonchalantly.

"It's not over I'm afraid." She sighed, absent-mindedly brushing though her long silvery white hair. "Remember those anomalies we encountered? I've just received word that they have appeared in my universe as well. And I'm willing to bet that ours are not the only ones."

"What are they?"

"Don't know. Could be trouble. They're about as dangerous to a ship's hull as a blade to human skin."

"Cale! Akima!"

That girlish voice could only belong to one person. Cale was a little overwhelmed when his alien sister threw her arms around his neck and hugged him so tightly that he couldn't breathe for a few seconds. She had run ahead of Mr. Qre and his mate and children. The Vusstran family was kind; they were like family to Iji too. Cale was almost afraid he was going to lose his sister to them. But if that made her happy, he wouldn't stop her.

"Thank you so much for taking such good care of her," Akima thanked them.

"That's all right," Nyt said with her warm motherly voice. "She's been like a daughter to us. We love her just as much as you do."

"We really appreciate it," Cale added. "My wife and I have talked about having children of our own one day but with jobs like ours…"

"I understand."

"She's been a really good girl," Mr. Qre said, giving Iji's face a little touch of red when he said that. "She's even learning how to cook."

"Mr. Qre, you promised not to tell them yet!"

"Really?" Akima said. "Then you can help me put a good meal on the table every day."

"I'm not really that good yet," Iji said quietly. "I hope you like Vusstran food. I've tried making a few simple dishes."

"Don't worry," Cale said in a teasing manner. "A couple of weeks of Tau-14 and you're prepared for anything. Try a few months and you'll eventually grow accustomed to it."

"It's not that bad!"

She indignantly flared her nostril slits. Akima thanked the Vusstran couple again.

"In three days there's gonna be an honoring and we've reserved a couple of tables here in _The Lighthouse_. I'd like to invite you to come as well."

She could see that Mr. Qre thought it over. He then looked at his kids who wanted to play with Iji as they were pulling her arms.

"All right," he eventually said. "Thank you. We'll be there."

"What about you, Kendra? I hope you're gonna stick around till three days from now?"

The _Illuminate_ Commander was about to leave and she didn't reply instantly but Akima noticed her smile faintly before she left with a quick nod. She shook her head. The war had created the friendship between them. It was a strong bond and it wouldn't be broken that easily. _She'll be there._

"No, it can't be!"

Ayko cursed violently and Preed was unsure what to do. After the _Coalition_ forces ensured them that it was safe, his people set down on the surface of their world. His Captain, girlfriend and mate to be, fell on her knees in the sand of Akrennia's deserts, slamming her fists into the fine rough particles, panting, shaking. He had never seen her like this. Ayko was always so tough. At some point he even doubted her ability to feel pain or sorrow. Now he realized he was wrong. Most of De'rahn was destroyed; the houses, the shops, the city center had been reduced to rubble. There hadn't been near enough ships to get everyone off planet in time. Most of the bodies of those who were left behind were covered with sand. The weapons found near them were an indication that they had tried to fight back; in vain of course. There was very little they could do against a force like the Seraphim and their war machines but anything was better than waiting to be exterminated. The teams from Admiral Rynta's ship, the _Dinn Eymaru_ just stood there, a little unsure how to start. _How do you start rebuilding an entire world?_

"Be strong! Akrennia will rise again!" her father said firmly, waiting for his order to be followed.

Ayko however continued sobbing, her tears like pearls falling into the dust. Jick'chii, her beloved and loyal pet howled softly, rubbing her head to her owner's arm. Preed was well aware of how much she loved Akrennia and though he never felt much for a world he was outcasted from, seeing it destroyed still infuriated him. His voice however, got her attention.

"I'm sorry, my sweet dear."

Before he could say more, Rynta approached them.

"Get up!" he demanded. Slowly, his daughter did as he said but as soon as she faced him, he slapped her in the middle of her face. It calmed her down a bit, but Preed felt a stab of anger toward the man who dared to call himself her father. He had little patience and didn't tolerate anyone making him feel shameful, especially not a member of his family. "Stop whining! Look at him." Preed felt a finger pointing at him. "Is he crying? He is not. Because he's strong. Be like your mate." Preed flicked his one ear. Did he hear that right? Did Rynta just call him her mate? "Akrennia will be powerful again. Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes father."

"Can't you show just a little sympathy?" Dreya interfered.

Ayko's mother wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulder, comforting her little. Rynta bared his teeth and snorted.

"Get outta my sight." It was then that he finally seemed to notice Preed, standing there, staring provocatively. That guy sure knew how to get on his nerves. "What're you still doing here? What do you want anyway?"

Preed raised his upper lip in a slimy smirk and scoffed amusedly as he did a few steps closer to Rynta.

"Isn't that clear to you by now… daddy?" A quick tug from Rynta's head however was enough to get a few guns pointed at his back. He had to be very careful what to say next. "It's your daughter. I can say for sure that she's the most beautiful thing that ever happened to me. I never cared much for anyone or anything. Ayko presented herself to me as an exception."

"And you want me to accept you?" Rynta said viciously. Preed didn't say anything but his grin was enough. Rynta took a deep breath and turned until he faced his world's setting binary sun. Preed could feel that he wasn't too happy about this but his boldness had the desired effect on him. "Here's a question for you, Preed. You got anything to do with Khiosa's sudden disappearance?"

He had to come up with an answer quickly. Rynta's men still had their guns aimed for his back and wouldn't lower them until their commanding officer gave the order. But instead of coming up with a good lie, like he used to do in these kinds of situations, he went on with the boldness and answered straightly.

"I'd have to answer that question with yes. I had to 'take care' of certain things and not just for my own sake, I might add. Why? Is that a problem?"

Rynta snickered.

"It only proves that he was a weakling and that you are not what I expected you to be." He turned to face him directly again and a hint of what could be a smile crept along his face. "You taught me one important thing, Preed. A first impression is not always the right one." A quick nod and his men lowered their weapons. The smile vanished in a flash. "Now what're you still standing there for? We've gotta lot of work to do and unless you're planning to give us a hand, go out and play. Move it!"

With a satisfied smile creeping along his face, Preed turned his back on his mate's father. He was a Militia Commander. Others did the work for him. The only orders he followed were from the tall beautiful woman who shook her mother's hands off her shoulders and dried her tears with a swift stroke from the back of her hand. She was finally his, or was it the other way around? He didn't know for sure. But as he held her in his arms he could only think of what life had in store for them together.

"It's not that long ago since we did this but I looked forward to it for sure," Cale said, raising a good glass of Sogowan honey mead to his lips.

The _Lighthouse_ was crowded with people like always but in their reserved corner they were at least able to stand without getting hit by elbows, tails or other extensions of the body when someone moved. Everyone was invited. The entire _Valkyrie_ crew, members of the _Son of the Empire_ crew, Stith and Kero, who brought the whole family over, Captain Jericho who had become a good friend of Korso's, Commander Natal and Lynn Patterson, Akima's sisters in arms, Mr. Qre and his mate Nyt and their children who had fun playing with Iji and even Preed and Ayko, surprisingly as an engaged couple, though they had it coming for sure.

"I was mainly looking forward to the end of this war," Akima said, taking a sip from her own glass.

"Yeah, but this marks the end."

"I'm glad you're all here. Are we missing anyone?" Kero asked.

"In fact we do," Korso replied. "Jason. He was with us last time."

They could only guess about the current situation in the Alpha Quadrant. It couldn't be that different from theirs a few days ago.

"Too bad, Kero. No Medal of Honor this time," Rajah, who joined their table teased.

"Oh, be quiet little brother." He sighed. "She wasn't an officer though but if someone deserves a Medal of Honor, it would be Shezu."

"Yeah, Akima, you haven't told me much about that," Cale said intriguedly. "What kind of powers did she have exactly? Some kind of ki or chi manipulation?"

"No Cale, it's hard to explain. Ultimately she used it to save us but lost her own life in the process."

"You know, I was with her during those last moments. Her parents were with her. It was so sad. But let's not use this moment for mourning."

"Hey Kendra, can I talk to you for a second?" Stith asked, nodding toward a spot in the corner where they could keep their conversation between themselves.

No one had ever seen Kendra Natal wear any casual clothes but that didn't mean she didn't have any in her closet. She looked so different. Usually it was easy to forget that she was also a mere human.

"Sure." She raised her glass. "You brought this stuff with you, right?"

"You like it?"

Kendra smiled.

"Gotta admit, it's unlike anything I've ever tasted. What do you wanna talk about?"

"Well, it's just… I wanna thank you. You know, for training me and helping my people. Ayko and Preed over there lost their world to the Seraphim. That could've happened to us if you hadn't been there."

She smiled again and then did something unexpected. She made a slight respectful bow.

"It was an honor to be your teacher, Princess."

Stith touched her shoulder.

"Please, don't, really."

"You know, you and Akima are perhaps the best friends I ever had. To be honest, I never had many real friends. I know I haven't exactly been the kindest person around."

"Maybe, you and I are not so different from each other than we thought, eh?"

Kendra laughed.

"Now that you mention it, maybe not. Never thought I'd be friends with someone not human one day."

"Believe me, the universe's full of surprises but you won't always like 'em."

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."

"You're going back right?"

Her newest friend sighed.

"Yeah, I better get back to my own universe. Things're a little tense back home too. I'm leaving tomorrow."

"Will I ever see you again?"

"Hmm, the door's wide open. I can always visit and I will. We'll meet again."

Stith felt the edges of her beak curving into a smile. She had made a new friend and though the distance between would be almost infinite, there was a big chance they would meet again someday.

"Daddy!"

Feeling his daughter pulling his pants, Kero turned around. She was still so little for a Mantrin. It wouldn't stay that way for long.

"What is it, Jalla?"

Putting his glass on the table, he picked her up and positioned her on his leg. Akima laughed.

"Hey sweetheart. Still remember me?"

The little Mantrin girl laughed and nodded shyly. But she obviously wanted her dad to look at something behind his back.

"Look, daddy."

"Wow, she's quite a talker."

Kero smiled.

"Yeah, she and her brother sure are." Jalla grumbled, slapping her dad's leg, pointing behind him. "Jalla, what is it? What do you see?"

"I beg your pardon, sir."

The voice was very low and heavy and familiar. When his mind connected the image of the face to the sound of the voice he was surprised. He didn't expect to see him again after he left his crew and certainly not on New Earth. When he turned around, Nalu stood near him next to a 'small' Ryrjhii boy. His father was a former member of his crew and one of the largest Mantrins he had ever met. Nunchaku smiled, careful not to hit anyone with his enormous legs while he approached him. He was followed by no one other than Azkun, the black female Ryrjhii and EAF soldier. It wasn't that hard to guess. They were the parents of the boy standing next to his son.

"Nunchaku?"

"Hello, sir."

The mighty Ryrjhii made a slight bow for him and rubbed between his son's ears.

"Prince Kero, it's an honor to meet you again," Azkun grumbled.

"Azkun, you finally talk. Never thought you'd be a mother one day."

Her yellow eyes flickered for a moment.

"I can talk all right. And what do you mean by that?"

"Well, you were always the warrior. I just never thought you'd take a break to raise kids." In a response Azkun stepped closer to her mate and growled as she nuzzled in his neck and licked him. "What brings you here, to New Earth I mean?"

"Well eh, Azkun and I decided to celebrate the peace here, since our own world suffered so greatly because of the war. But eh, when I heard you were here I wanted to ask you something, sir."

"Ask ahead. Want some honey mead?"

"Please." He took a deep breath and took the glass filled with the golden beverage brewed on his homeworld Kero handed him and Azkun. "Sir, I wanted to ask you if you still have room aboard the _Son of the Empire._ I wanna join your crew again and Azkun too."

"But what about your son?"

"Well eh, you got your kids too. Now that the war's over I heard you were planning to set up a school aboard."

"I guess rumors spread fast," Kero said, scratching behind his ear. "Yeah, that was the idea and its okay. I know what you're capable of."

"Thank you, sir. I-"

"Jason?"

Akima spotted him first and her voice instantly made him the center of the attention. Most Starfleet ships had retreated back to their own universe and it was a while ago since anyone saw an officer here on New Earth, yet the young Captain and their friend stood there. By his looks one could say that he had just gone through hell to get here and that might not be far from the truth.

"Hi, everyone," he said, without the same enthusiasm they were used to from him. The tone of his voice could only mean bad news. It was enough to press the general mood. "I came here as fast as I could. There's something I gotta tell you guys." As everyone gathered around him he prepared himself to speak. They were glad to see him and he was glad to see them too. "It's been a while, I know. The Alpha Quadrant is in a dire state. I heard you fought back the Seraphim and eventually defeated them in their own game. We're not doing so well, even with the Coalition's help. But that's not why I came to you. By now, you've probably noticed what's happening to space. It's being torn apart because universes keep colliding with each other. Starfleet has had contact with dozens of new universes since the last time we met but the portals are no longer the only collision effect."

"Is this, dangerous to us? Will it get worse?"

Jason nodded.

"I'm afraid so. Long ago, before the Federation even existed, a Starfleet ship named Enterprise under the command of Captain Jonathan Archer encountered a similar phenomenon during their most critical mission ever. They discovered that a group of trans-dimensional beings tried to transform space to make our dimension habitable for their species. The resulting spatial anomalies were devastating and similar to what we're seeing here." He sighed. "More than one Starfleet Captain once called space the final frontier. Now we know it's far more complicated than that."

"So you think that a race from another dimension is trying to invade our universe?"

He shook his head.

"We're not sure. But they could try to use this to their advantage. We've gotta stay alert and we've gotta find a way to reverse this effect. I don't think we wanna discover what kind of effect these anomalies will have on a planet or star."

"Then there's only one way to stop this," Cale said. "We've gotta find the cause of these collisions and close the gates."

They would lose the advantages the gates offered but at the moment those no longer weighed up to the problems they caused. There had to be a way to put a stop it. The fate of everyone and everything depended on this solution.

**To be continued…**


	49. Epilogue: A Very Merry Christmas

**Epilogue: A Very Merry Christmas**

"Kero! C'mon, we're gonna be late. Cale and Akima are expecting us down there."

Though neither of them really knew what to expect -Stith could guess thanks to being Akima's friend- she didn't understand what took him so long. Her mate was never really that concerned about his looks or anything like that but he sure took his time. Jalla and Nalu were chasing each other in their quarters but they were curious too.

"C'mon daddy! We're gonna be late for the party!"

About a minute later he finally appeared but didn't really look that different. "What've you been doing all that time?"

He shrugged.

"I don't know what's gonna happen down there but I think I'm ready. How's my breath?"

"It's fine. Now c'mon, we're gonna miss all the fun."

"Now I understand why you wanted to go to New Earth so badly."

Kero didn't really know how to react when they entered one of the lobbies of the giant vertical city. Stith was impressed too though she sort of knew what this was all about. The entire _Heliopolis_ was decorated according to a human tradition they celebrated once a year. She only knew about it through Akima who had told her once and due to a small celebration they had on the _Valkyrie_. This was the first time on New Earth and she didn't expect it to be this exuberant. Enormous trees filled with decorations and strings of tiny lights, surrounded by fake snow and presents. The information center was lit by long-lasting candles and had bowls of cookies standing on each desk. Everything was covered in decorations and not just objects but people -mostly humans- too. Apparently they had installed holo-emitters as it appeared to be snowing in the lobby though it never touched the ground, nor was it tangible. They played music too and a group of humans was singing songs.

"It's really beautiful, mommy," Jalla said happily.

"I really like those trees. Why don't we have those?"

"It's a human celebration, Nalu," Stith answered.

"So this is the thing they call 'Christmas'?" Stith nodded. Akima and Cale told her that they would be here to welcome them, thought it was pretty crowded and she hadn't seen them yet. "Stay with us, Jalla. We don't wanna lose you in this crowd."

"But daddy, I wanna look at those trees!"

Kero could very well understand his children's curiosity. He was very curious to discover what this was all about himself. It was a human tradition and all the alien inhabitants of the city were simply dragged into it.

"Hey guys!"

Akima waved from a distance and thanks to their considerable height they spotted her.

"Hey, we're here!" Stith yelled back.

She noticed Akima signaling them to go to a less crowded corner of the lobby.

"Who is that, mommy?"

"You know, dear."

"Really?"

"You ready?" Akima asked.

Cale sighed.

"I guess so."

"Uncle Cale! Aunt Akima!"

"Oh dear."

They actually had trouble standing when they bumped into them and two strong little arms wrapped around their legs. Maybe it was more love from them than a human could handle.

"Hey guys! You've grown, again."

Cale nearly lost his balance but had to laugh.

"Yeah, and one day you're gonna be as big and strong as your mommy and daddy are."

Jalla laughed.

"My mommy and daddy are the best mommy and daddy in the whooooole universe!"

Cale chuckled.

"I have no reason to doubt that."

"Aunt Akima, what's all this?" Nalu asked, his tail whipping in excitement.

"It's called Christmas sweety, and I'll tell you all about it."

"Hey," Stith said, greeting her with a small hug.

She licked her cheek.

"Stihith!"

"Sorry."

"Shall we head up?"

"_Lighthouse?_"

"You know a better place?"

Not surprisingly, the _Lighthouse_ was crowded but for them their always seemed to be a free spot. This time however, a spot was saved for them by the entire _Valkyrie_ crew.

"Hey Merry Christmas to you too."

"Thanks, I think."

The small family of aliens joined the group together with Cale and Akima, a little hesitant to join this strange party. They had no idea what it was about nor what to expect.

"Drinks everyone?"

"Sure."

"Here, got something for you," Cale said. He put the red Christmas hat, complete with a white puffball on Kero's head between his ears. "Now you're a Christmas Mantrin."

Because of his large ears it didn't fit really well and it looked a bit silly.

"Are we supposed to wear these hats for the celebration or something?"

Some people laughed but Stith didn't find it amusing at all.

"Stop making fun of him. It looks stupid."

But before she could grab the hat Kero pulled it off himself and studied it, dazzled by these strange festivities. He had so many questions to ask that he didn't know where to start.

"Can I have it, daddy?" Jalla asked.

He looked at her and smiled.

"Here."

He put it on her head but the hat was too big and it fell over her eyes and ears.

"I can't see anything," she said, lifting the edge above her eyes.

When everyone had their drinks, Kero couldn't take it anymore and he was glad Akima finally gave him the sign.

"I'm ready, I think. Just ask and I'll try to answer. I'm not an expert but I sure know quite a few things about old human traditions."

"All right. Well, what is all this? What is Christmas?" It was actually the most difficult question of all and Akima didn't have a straight answer right away. Even her own crewmates looked at her, waiting for the old Earth mystery called Christmas to be explained. Kero frowned. "You… do know why you're celebrating right? There's gotta be a reason."

"C'mon Akima, you seemed to know all about this stuff when I asked," Stith said, crossing her arms.

"Well, I'm having a little trouble deciding where to start. Trust me, there are several different stories surrounding Christmas and they all date back thousands of years. I'll tell you all about it but nowadays there are a few reasons for celebrating Christmas. When it's Christmas we think about all the good things in life. Christmas is not about presents, decorations or food. Sure they're all part of it but it's mainly the things we can't see and still hold a great value. Friendship, love, care and peace are a few of those things. They mean something and they're important to us all. For example, Stith, our friendship is something I would never trade for anything."

Stith's beak curved into a smile.

"Same for me. I'm glad you're my friend."

"That's… that's beautiful, to have a special day for that, I mean," Kero said.

"We're all together now, in good health and finally in peace," Akima continued. "What is more beautiful than that?" She looked at the two children, both looking back at her, as if they knew something was going to happen. Akima smiled mysteriously. "I've got something for the two of you. For all of you actually."

"Really?" Nalu asked.

"Whatisit? Whatisit? Whatisit?"

Kero looked at his daughter and spoke on a warning tone.

"Jalla, that's not nice to ask."

"Sorry daddy."

Her ears lowered.

"That's all right," Akima said with a laugh. "You ready for the surprise?"

"Yeah!"

They jumped up when she revealed the presents. There were a lot of them in different shapes and sizes under the large Christmas tree in the corner. Sure they had seen them but how could they know they had their names written on it? But there were presents for everyone.

"Careful with your claws," Stith warned them as they began ripping the wrapping paper to shreds.

Akima watched with a satisfied smile as Stith and Kero's children didn't just think about themselves. They even brought the presents of their parents back to the table.

"Merry Christmas everyone!"

"Merry Christmàààs!"

4


	50. End Credits

**Shattered Universe© - Titan A.E. - Warmonger**

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**Story written by: Specter06**

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**Cast:**

**All characters are played by themselves**

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**Special Thanks:**

**Beta-readers:**

**My sister ;)**

**Shane Ward**

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**Reviewers:**

**AkrennianPhantomLady**

**Rhavis**

**Yasunari**

**And of course all the anonymous readers**

**Thank you all!**


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